[Determinants of risky sex practices among consultants of a Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centre]

Thirty years after the discovery of human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], knowledge and practices must be improved. Contribute to reducing the risk of virus transmission. A study about the determinants of risky practices was conducted among the consultants of the Voluntary HIV Counseling and Testing Centre [VCTC] in Monastir University Hospital. We performed a cross sectional descriptive study with a total of 241 consultants who used the services of the VCTC during the period from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2011. Data gathering was based on a self-administered questionnaire. Consultant's mean age was 27.4 +/- 8 years with a male predominance. Three patients out of four were single and 65% have at least secondary-level education. Knowledge about the risk of HIV infection after an unprotected sex and drug use by injection were reported by 94.3% and 76.7% of the participants respectively. Risky sex practices were adopted by 89.3% of the subjects. At least secondary school level, knowledge of risk factors of contamination and fear of the virus transmission were identified as determinants of safe sexual practices [0,004 < p < 0,032]. Improving knowledge of populations at risk for HIV is a privileged axis to lead to a reduction of infectious risk in our country

Trends in hospital morbidity among adults in the region of Monastir [Tunisia] between 1996 and 2007

To study trends of hospital morbidity among adults in the region of Monastir during a period of 12 years [1996 - 2007]. We analyzed data from the morbidity database of the university hospital of Monastir [Tunisia] between 01/01/1996 and 31/12/2007. Data were drawn from the register of hospital morbidity implemented in the Department of Preventive Medicine and Epidemiology since 1995. The International Classification of Diseases [tenth revision] was used to identify and classify morbid conditions. During the study period, we collected 150749 admissions with male tendency [sex-ratio = 1.27]. Among these admissions 24.4% were over than 64 years. Morbid conditions were dominated by Ischemic Heart diseases [4.24%] followed by cancers and diabetes mellitus [3.3% and 2.52% respectively]. Chronological trends, using Spearman correlation rank test, showed that overall rate of chronic conditions increased significantly from 4.4% in 1996 to 9.1% in 2007 [r'= |0.88|, p-value < 0.001]. In contrast, the rate of infectious and parasitic diseases decreased from 4.3% to 2.9% [r'= |0.98|, p-value < 0.001]. Morbidity trends reflect the epidemiological transition of our country and call to a backing of the ambulatory system and the development of specific services able to decrease the needs of hospitalizations

[Epidemiological and chronological profile of the parturientes in the extreme ages in the Monastir region between 1994 and 2003]

Pregnancy outside 19-34 years interval is risk factors of the maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. Tunisia, witch known an epidemiological transition, implanted the national program of perinatality since 1990 and one of its objectives is the surveillance of the high risk pregnancies. The aim of this study is to draw up the epidemiological profile of the parturient in extreme ages in the region of Monastir and to study the chronological tendencies of the associated factors during a decade [1994 -2003]. In all, the study interest 13225 extreme ages parturient, representing 22.5% of all women admitted for delivery in the public maternities of the district. The mean age was 18.6% +/- 0.6 years for the parturient less than 20 years and 37 +/- 2 years for the older than 35 years and more, among them 40% were older primipara. The prenatal care was inadequate for 35.4% of younger women and 47.6% of aged women. During the decade, we notice a significant decrease of the frequency of pregnancy for teenager parturient [from 3 in 1994 to 1.99% to 17.7% in 2003] [p<0.001]. Adequate prenatal care increased and the frequency of parturient without any follow-up decreased [from 17.2 to 2%] [p<0.001]. Given to this demographic and social transition, our healthcare system is called for greater vigilance and a more rigorous application of the recommendations of the national program of perinatality