Factors associated with smoking habits among kuwaiti students in the age group 9-18 years

Smoking is now recognized as a major public health problem. It is noticed that the majority of regular smokers begin their smoking at an early age. To study the risk factors associated with smoking behavior of Kuwaiti students in the age group 9-18 years. Cross-sectional survey during the year 2001. Kuwait Government Schools. A sample of 3338 Kuwaiti students using a questionnaire. The association between smoking status of the students and smoking family members and friends, family structure, parental education level, poor school performance and potentially aggressive personality of the student. In addition, we compared their knowledge about the health hazards of smoking. The prevalence of smoking among the students was 4.6%. The prevalence of smoking among students in the age group 15 to 18 was 18% in males and 0.68% in females. The results showed that peers and family members had significant influence on smoking behavior of the students [p < 0.001]. Fathers at the extreme level of education and mothers of intermediate and above educational level exhibited an inverse relationship with the smoking status of the students [p = 0.055, p - 0.02] respectively. Smoking status was significantly related to poor school performance and tendency to aggression [p < 0.001]. Lastly, smoking students were less knowledgeable about the health hazards of smoking than non smoking students [p < 0.001]. Peers, family members, family structure, parents' educational level, students' school performance and tendency to aggression were all influencing students' smoking behavior. Attention should be given to improve health education at school and family level and improving social skills of the students to decrease peer group pressure

Laterality in somatization in a group of arab muslim patients

The lateralized pattern of somatic symptoms is controversial and most Western and Far East studies detected more symptoms on the left side of the body, especially pain. Additional studies are needed to determine left or right predominance of psychogenic somatic symptoms. Seventy-six right handed Arab Muslim patients with depressive disorders, anxiety disorder and somatization disorder were examined for the lateralized distribution of somatic symptoms in their body and its relationship to diagnosis. Somatic symptoms were presented more on the left side than the right side. There was no significant difference between right sided and left sided group in sociodemographic variables, such as age, gender, marital status and education. Chest and upper limb pain were significantly more on the left side, while neurological symptoms [weakness and numbness] were more significant on the right side. The results revealed that somatization is not a simply lateralized, but reflects a complex interaction of many factors and culture plays a major role in determining the lateralized pattern

Pharmacological treatment versus cognitive behavioral therapy in social phobia: a comparative study between moclobemide, paroxetine and cognitive behavioral therapy

Sixty-four patients with generalized social phobia were randomly assigned to Moclobemide, Paroxetine and cognitive behavior therapy groups for twelve weeks. The pattern of response was assessed. Response rate was 47.8, 50 and 23.4% for Moclobemide, Paroxetine and cognitive behavior therapy groups, respectively. Moclobemide was superior in reducing the somatic symptoms and interpersonal sensitivity. Paroxetine was superior in reducing global anxiety symptoms and obsessive compulsive symptoms. Both groups were superior to cognitive behavior therapy in reducing avoidance behavior. Cognitive behavior therapy was superior to Paroxetine in reducing interpersonal sensitivity

Reconstruction of foot defects using free flaps

Reconstruction of foot defects has remained one of the difficult areas in plastic surgery. Many surgical methods were used for different defects. Microvascular tissue transfer probably provided a solution to many problems. The outcome had not been satisfying in the beginning, marked improvement has occurred in the past decade. In this study, eleven patients with varying foot defects were managed by free flap transfer, the latissimus dorsi muscle flap was used in four patients, the rectus abdominus muscle flap in fur patients, the lateral arm flap in one patient, the lateral intercostals flap in another patient and the latissimus dorsi musclocutaneous flap in a single patients. All muscle flaps completely survived, two failures occurred: the lateral arm flap and the latissimus dorsi musculocutaneous. Flap. The results improved with the use of muscle flaps and with proper preoperative evaluation of the vascular status at the recipient area. The use of muscle flap covered by split thickness skin graft can withstand significant weight breading even without any sort of neurotization and absence of any cutaneous sensation