Prevalence and determinants of condom utilization among people living with HIV/AIDS in Egypt

Condoms are an integral part of HIV/AIDS prevention, yet their use is affected by several factors. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of condom use and the psychological and behavioural determinants among people living with HIV/AIDS in Egypt. Focus group discussions were used to develop the study tool [questionnaire interview] geared towards eliciting knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about condoms among 338 confirmed HIV-positive persons attending fixed voluntary counselling and testing centres in 8 governorates in Egypt. The prevalence of condom use was 45.0% in regular sexual relations and only 18.1% in casual relations. The determinants of condom use were: type of partner, serostatus of partner, antiretroviral intake, beliefs and attitudes towards condom use and to HIV infection. The study shows that special efforts need to be made to change the attitudes of people living with HIV/AIDS towards condom use

Needs assessment and coping strategies of persons infected with HIV in Egypt

The aims of this study were to identify the psychosocial and health care needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS and to determine their coping strategies. The study was conducted in 3 governorates of Egypt on 153 people infected with HIV. The data were collected using a structured questionnaire and in-depth interviews. The majority of the people had been forced to change the pattern of their sexual behaviour. Fear of stigmatization and feelings of anxiety, hopelessness and depression were frequently reported, resulting in a negative psychosocial impact on the infected person. Decreasing stigma and providing psycho-social support would help people living with HIV/AIDS to utilize effective ways of coping with the negative sequelae of the infection

Group psychotherapy: a newly introduced approach in Alexandria

Group therapy, although accepted internationally, is still subject to controversy in Egypt on the basis of cultural beliefs and stigma. The main purpose of this group was to investigate the acceptability and effect of this method of treatment among a sample of Egyptian psychiatric patients. A weekly session of one and half hours was held in a private office for a period of 2 and 1/2 year. The subjects of the study were 6 members of both sexes, and the leaders 2 females. Results revealed that resistance to the group method was replaced by trust and acceptance within the first 2 weeks. Confidentiality, sell revilement, help, support of each other were taking place smoothly. Aggression and sexuality were much inhibited, which reflect the Egyptian culture. Aggression was manifested is the last 6 months by two members and in particular towards the leaders. A seven-months follow up of group members revealed proper adjustment as manifested by successful work record, better interpersonal relationship, absence or minimal drug therapy, and relapse or psychiatric breakdown

Epileptic patients and their relatives: perspectives of epilepsy

Epilepsy is usually associated with mystery, prejudice and hostility. It is presented with different psychosocial implications that affect patient's prognosis. This study attempts to determine epileptic patients' and their relatives' perspectives of epilepsy. The main results yielded by this study are that patients feel less stigmatized than their relatives, relatives tried other means than medical treatment and that epileptics in general are still believed to be possessed. Study also revealed some of the native practices during seizure

Nurse's perception on stressic at the Hadara orthopedic and traumatology University Hospital

In this study 94 nurses were interviewed to identify stress factors in relation to years of employment in an orthopaedic hospital. The study reveals that nurses regardless of their position perceived working in orthopaedic hospital as stressful. Moreover a significant difference was found between the three studied groups in relation to specific items. Stress is generally addressed in terms of the individuals but it can be identified as a [group responses] on a nursing unit. Many situations nurses face are stressful. These may arise from the discrepancy existing between their ideal and their ability to give nurturing supportive care to patients, ability to perform technical skill proficiently and ability to feel personally and professionally satisfied with the nursing care given. Given these strong demands generalized stress responses to these tasks can be expected [Scully 1980]. Identification of stress factors can help in ameliorating the working conditions and improving performance. Researches on the stress factors affecting ICU/CCU nurses have contributed to improve work conditions [Grout Bailey and Steffen 1981]. Although nurses working orthopaedic patients face different stressors due to patient's long term hospitalization and dealing with patient's fatigue, pain and maintaining uncomfortable positions in traction for long periods, yet it seems that nothing has been done to examine the stress factors of nurses working in these hospitals. This research study builds upon the earlier theoretical work of Selye, 1974. Also, it has applied the research on stress in ICU/CCU to the orthopaedic setting with the anticipation that the finding may be useful in improving the work environment of orthopaedic nurses and ultimately the care of orthopaedic patients. The aim of the study is to : 1 Identify stress factors as perceived by nurses in an Orthopaedic Hospital. 2 Identify stressors in relation to years of employment

School-age children's surgical fears

The study included 100 school-age children hospitalized for abdominal surgery and were unaccompanied by their parents. Each child was hospital environment, hospital personnel and surgery itself. The findings showed that the highest percentages of children expressed different fears in relation to surgical operations which were fear of death, pain, change body image, surgical gown, abdominal incision and anesthesia. Children also expressed their fears of injection and laboratory investigations. Hospital environment was a source of fear for the children, where they were afraid of hospital as a strange place, the general view of the hospital at night, darkness and noises. Also, the majority of children expressed their fears of doctors and nurses. The study revealed that females expressed more fears than

Effect of amputation on patient's self concept

This study focuses upon the alteration of self concept as a result of amputation. Studied were sixty individuals, 30 amputees and 30 controls. These were interviewed. The Self Concept Scale by Ismail 1957 was the tool used. Results showed a significantly lower self concept among amputee group. Age and marital status were found to affect significantly patient's self concept while sex and occupation did not have any statistical significant effect. These findings indicate the psychological stress that accompany alteration in body function and appearance and point to the importance of taking this into consideration in providing nursing care for these patients

effect of two nursing interventions on the anxiety level of mothers of preterm babies

The impact of two different nursing interventions on the anxiety level of mothers of premature babies during the early post-partum period was studied. They were divided into one control group and two experimental groups. The anxiety level was assessed for all of them on admission of their babies to the premature unit and on their discharge

Student nurses' understanding of the basic nursing concepts

Nowadays nursing education is to prepare a nurse concerned with the individuality of the patient as well as his physiologic conditions and student nurses should be exposed from the begining of their training to those concepts stressing the patients as people and not as carries of disease. This study was conducted to assess the understanding of basic nursing concepts by H.I.N. students. 102 students were studied using a questionnaire related to the core concepts of nursing. These were divided into two groups. Group A with psychiatric nursing experience and group B without psychiatric nursing experience. Results reveal that H.I.N. students do not understand basic concepts properly. Low scores were found for understanding these concepts particularly among the group without psychiatric nursing experience. The majority of the studied population stated that psychiatric nursing should be integrated within the basic curriculum