Predictors of personality disorders among Alexandria University students

Personality disorders [PDs] represent a common and serious public health problem. The aim of the present work was to determine the prevalence of different PDs among first grade students of Alexandria University and to investigate some ecological factors of the problem. A cross-sectional study was carried out and included 1086 students. The Arabic Version of Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire-4+ [PDQ-4+] was applied. Results revealed that more than one quarter of the studied sample had at least one PD [26.1%]. Cluster C was the most frequently occurring [24.9%]. The commonest subtypes recorded were avoidant PD [20.4%] and obsessive-compulsive PD [20.2%] followed by paranoid PD [15.0%]. Significant predictors of PD delineated on the logistic regression analysis were mainly psychosocial factors including parental inconsistent discipline, intrafamilial conflicts, parental rejection and control, decreased familial and friends social support, and sexual abuse. A positive history of conduct disorder, chronic medical illness or psychiatric problem also significantly predicted the occurrence of PD. Lack of freedom in college selection and smoking emerged as recent events that predicted the PD status of students

Reliability, validity and psychometric properties of the Arabic Version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression [CES-D] scale

This study aimed to assess the reliability, validity and psychometric properties of an Arabic version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression [CES-D] scale. The participants were 1186 secondary school adolescents aged 15-17 years in Alexandria Governorate. They were subjected to the Arabic version of Child Depression Inventory [CDI], CES-D and Coppersmith self-esteem. The results revealed that 9.5% of the students were moderately to severely depressed according to the CDI cutoff score. Using the receiver operating characteristic [ROC] curve, a cutoff point of 25 subjects produced the best overall screening efficiency. The internal consistency of the scale was acceptable. The test-retest reliability was satisfactory. Factor analysis extracted four factors that explained 50.08% of variability; namely, negative effect/cognitive symptoms, interpersonal difficulties, reduced positive affects and somatic complaints with an acceptable reliability. A concurrent validity was supported by significant high Spearman's correlation between CDI and CES-D scores and a convergent validity was confirmed by inverse moderate correlation between CES-D scores and Coppersmith self-esteem scale scores

Quality of life and perceived parental rearing styles of epileptic children and their mothers' psychological well-being

The aim of this work was to assess QOL of school children with epilepsy and to investigate some of its determinants. In addition, perceived parental rearing styles and maternal psychological morbidity of epileptic children were identified using case-control study design. Research subjects were 100 child-mother pairs of epileptic children recruited from the neuropsychiatric outpatient clinic at the Student's Hospital in Alexandria. A matched control group for age and sex was recruited from the ENT clinic of the same hospital. The parental rearing style scale [PRSS], the brief Arabic version of The quality of life in epilepsy questionnaire [QOLIE-14 items] and the general health questionnaire [GHQ] were applied. The results revealed that 13% of children with epilepsy experienced poor overall QOLIE, while 46% had moderate one. Major concerns of patients were mainly: Seizure worry [65%], frequent difficulties with attention/concentration [26%] and language [24%]. Though, 90% of subjects had good social support, yet more than 40% of them experienced social isolation and/or difficulties in social functioning. Emotional warmth and favoring subject were the parental rearing styles more significantly perceived by epileptic children compared to controls. The challenge for school health physicians is to incorporate QOL concepts into the medical care of children with epilepsy to satisfy both patient and family needs

Epidemiological and sociocultural study of burn patients in Alexandria, Egypt

All burn cases admitted to the burns unit of Alexandria Main University Hospital over a period of one year were investigated. Burns were found to occur in younger age groups. There was an almost equal distribution of cases by sex, but when stratified by age, more females were found in most age groups. Most burns were domestic, with cooking being the most prevalent activity. Flame was the most common agent. Death occurred in about one-third of cases; when using logistic regression analysis, the outcome of the burn injury was significantly associated with age, sex, total surface area burnt and degree and depth of the burn

School absenteeism: a study of some risk factors

The aim of this study was to investigate some risk factors for prolonged and/or repeated school absence. A case-control study was carried out in the largest male secondary school in Alexandria city. A total of 100 absentees [absent from school for at least 8 days] were recruited by the end of the academic year 1993/1994. A control group of 300 randomly selected regular school attendants were matched for age and grade level. School absenteeism risk was shown to increase significantly with student's illness [OR=11.2 P<0.01], school failure [OR=3.3 P<0.01], non participation in athletic activities [OR=3.2, P<0.01], cigarette smoking [OR=1.9, P=<0.05], moderate to high family income [OR=1.9, P<0.05] and low level of mother's education [OR=7.0, P<0.01]. School absence risk did not appear to be related to the student's body mass index [BMI] or to father's education. Home was the favorite place to stay-in while absent from the school for 84% of the absent students. Besides student's illness, lack of transport to school, unsatisfactory school curriculum, school day and school personnel were contributing factors for such problem

Timing, pattern and determinants of breast feeding initiation

The current early breast feeding practices of 216 mother-infant pairs receiving specific breast feeding promotional information combined with perinatal service-practices ensuring early maternal-infant contact were investigated. To determine how far their current practices conform to those recommended by the WHO/UNICEF statement on [10 steps to successful breast feeding], an interviewing questionnaire was used eliciting some sociobiological variables,circumstances of delivery and puerperium, and the current feeding practices. Results revealed that only 27.4% of mothers initiated feeding within 1/2 an hour of birth, 17.7% delayed it beyond 24 hours and the rest [54. 9%] gave it within 1-24 hours. By the end of puerperium, 84.5% were feeding the breast milk only and 15. 5% gave mixed feeding. The practices of the special group of the present study were generally better than those reported by earlier studies. However, wrong practices as giving fluids between feeds and the use of pacifier and/or the bottle were still widely practiced. Normal delivery and older maternal age were the two statistically significant predictors for early initiation. Efforts to change scientifically wrong practices should be continued and reinforced. Malleability in implementation of recommended instructions is highly needed

Impact of mental health knowledge and attitudes of trainees on their school contacts

School personnel are valuable community resources in child mental health programmes. Realizing that continuous evaluation of the school mental health training programme in Alexandria is highly recommended, it was decided to study the impact of knowledge and attitudes of trainees on the untrained colleagues through comparing school communities having few trained personnel [intervention group] with school communities having none [control group]. A total of 206 teachers and social workers representing both groups participated in this study. Their knowledge and attitudes were assessed using designed child mental health related knowledge and attitude scales. Findings of the present work lend further support to earlier indications of improvement in trainees knowledge. Furthermore, they suggested that trained staff hold promise for accessing their non-trained colleagues and improving their knowledge. However, data failed to prove any effects on staff attitudes

Antepartum and postpartum depression and infant feeding pattern: a prospective study

Mother's depression during pregnancy and postpartum is a risk factor that can adversely affect mother's relationship with her infant. As breast feeding is an important situation for early mother-child interaction the effect of mother's depression on her breast feeding attitude and practice was decided to be studied prospectively. In this study, 158 primigravidae attending antenatal clinics in two MCH centres were interviewed at third trimester. The interview data covered social background, attitudes to breast feeding as well, as self rating of depression using the Edinburgh postnatal depression Scale [EPDS]. At postnatal interview 72 mother-infant pairs could be reached between 6-16 weeks- after birth. They were subjected again to EPDS along with inquiry about type of infant feeding and breast feeding practices. Findings revealed that the prevalence of antepartum depression was 25.32%. Antepartum depression was significantly linked to postpartum depression and negative attitudes to breast feeding. Persistent maternal depression [ante- and postpartum] was a risk factor for early resorting to mixed infant feeding, retarded infant growth as well as some adverse maternal and infant health outcomes. Logistic analysis indicated that negative mothers' attitudes to breast feeding and postpartum depressive scores taken together predicted mixed infant feeding. Hence, preventive programs should be directed specifically towards modifying the mother's psychological. status and her attitude on behalf of her infant

study of depression among Alexandria preparatory school adolescents

Using a constructed Arabic version of Children Depression Inventory [CDI], screening of a stratified random sample of 1% [1561] of Alexandria Preparatory school adolescents was carried out. The prevalence of depressive scorers was 10.25% of total sample. A sub-sample of depressed scorers [111 pupils] were compared with controls [non-depressed scorers] matched on age and sex to study a variety of personal, familial, medical and scholastic ecological variables. Pupils neuroticism scorers were most predictive of depressive scorers where they explained 59.79% of the variance. Other ecological factors including peer and sibling relationships, introversive and lie scale scorers and scholastic performance explained an additional 14.87% of the variance. Using Beck Depression Inventory [BDI] and Mother-Father relationship check list, a sub-sample of depressed pupils' mothers were compared with controls of non-depressed pupils' mothers [42 mothers for each] Results indicated a strong positive correlation between pupils, CDI scores and their mothers BDI scores. On the other hand poor mother-father relationship was significantly associated with of pupils Findings, pointed to reconsideration of school mental health program, since the presented medical and social services to depressed pupils were very poor