[Knowledge, attitudes and practices related to cutaneous leishmaniasis among attendants of primary health care centers in Qassim Region - Saudi Arabia]

To determine knowledge of/and attitudes towards the infection with cutaneous leishmaniasis and the related practices among attendants of primary care centers of Qassim region. A descriptive cross sectional study. Participants [398] were interviewed and completed a structured questionnaire focusing on disease knowledge, attitudes and preventive practices. Approximately 43.2% of the participants showed an insufficient level of knowledge about the disease. The lowest level of knowledge was about how the disease is transmitted or prevented. The most common symptoms reported were: a lesion [54.0%] and a scar [30.4%]. The infectious nature of the disease was known to 14.6% while 29.9% didn't know that the disease can be treated. The majority failed to link the disease spreads with vector bites [91.5%]. Most of participants [73.6%] did not recognized the biting time of the vector. Regression analysis ranked education, high income and presence or history of a case within the family the most significant determinants of knowledge variable. Participants showed insufficient knowledge regarding the disease transmission and the poor related protective practices against the transmitting vector. Educational interventions using different media are recommended

Work as a determinant of women's care of their health

In this study, a specially designed questionnaire was used to collect data from employed and not working women. The questionnaire focused on the women care concerning four domains [body figure and fitness, diet, health checkup and the reproductive health]. A statistical analysis of data was done using tests of significance to examine the working women care of their own health versus the not working ones. A multivariate analysis was used to examine the impact of work and the socio-demographic status on the women care of their own health. Two hundred and seventeen ladies responded to the questionnaire, 52%of them were employers. The study concluded that women's care of their health is a multi-factorial issue and work alone is not enough for women to care for their health. Having few children would have more influence on the women care for their health

Knowledge, attitude and practice towards the use of emergency contraception among Egyptian women and health providers

To assess the knowledge, awareness, and practice of emergency contraceptives among women and health providers. Also to evaluate the impact of education program in changing women's knowledge and attitude towards its use.The hypothesis is that, a more accurate knowledge about emergency contraception would be associated with more favorable attitude towards its use.A cross sectional study to health providers and women attending primary health care units in Ismailia and Port Saied. We randomly selected and interviewed 31 health providers and 389 women using a predesigned questionnaire. The including questions were about the indications, methods, timing, efficacy, side-effects and importance of emergency contraception. The studied women were divided to two groups according to their knowledge. After health education program; we re-evaluated their knowledge and attitude towards emergency contraception.The study revealed that; only 10% of family planning physicians had proper knowledge about emergency contraception, no women were aware about the proper knowledge, 36% had improper knowledge [group I] and 64% not heard about it [group II]. Women included in group I were educated, employed, having more than three children, and had regular sexual relationship. Nearly 19% of the studied group had unwanted pregnancy and 71% of them continue their pregnancy. Oral contraceptive and local vaginal preparations were the most common types of emergency contraception known [18%, 13% respectively] .Only 8.2% of studied women practice emergency contraceptives, although this practice was improper. After proper health education on emergency contraceptives 80% of women agreed to use the methods when needed.Although 20% of our births are unintended and we can prevent most of these by emergency contraception, no women and few health providers had proper knowledge about EC. By proper health education we can avoid 80% of unwanted pregnancy. We must make EC a reality, women and health providers everywhere should have access to this most reliable safe and effective method

Scabies infestation, the immediate and delayed impact of intervention by family health education

A community based intervention study was carried out in Fanara, village in Ismailia. The aim of the study was to introduce a health education program for patients with scabies and their families to evaluate the immediate and long-term impact of this intervention with assessment of cure and recurrence rates.Scabies patients were allocated randomly into two groups. One exposed to both drug therapy and family health education program, the other group received only drug therapy. Immediate impact showed that intervention groups had significant change in knowledge, beIiefs and practices, with higher cure rate than the other group [90%, 65% respectively]. Two months after intervention, the recurrence rate was lower among the intervention group [28%] than among the other group [39%]. For detection the long term impact, one year after intervention, re-evaluation was done, a significant positive change in the most of patient's knowledge, beliefs and practices was detected among the intervention group with higher cure rate The study concluded that family health education have a significant role in improving the prevention and cure of scabies