Drug addiction at Al - Amal Hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The use of illicit substances creates serious and complex problems. Preventing drug abuse would result in significant health improvement and economic savings. 2588 addicts were studied. Patients were interviewed using pre-designed questionnaire and their blood screened for HIV infection. The majority of addicts were aging 20-40 years [84.43%], single [63.25%] and unemployed [66.15%]. Heroin was the most frequently abused drug followed by polydrugs and alcohol. Nearly one half of addicts started drug abuse at age 20-30 years. Teenage drug abuse was found among 36.25% of addicts, abusing mainly volatile substances and polydrugs. Duration of drug abuse was found significantly different among different types of abused drugs. Extramarital sexual relationships were reported by 37.52% of addicts and intravenous drug injection was practiced by 40.34%. The prevalence of HIV infection among addicts was 1.16/1000. A clear understanding of the problem of drug abuse is essential for establishing prevention programs. The low prevalence rate of HIV infection among studied addicts provides a golden opportunity for early application of preventive measures aiming to curb the spread of HIV infection in this community

Scabies: a major health problem among school children in Egypt

To identify the epidemic situation of scabies among primary school children and the effect of scabies infection on school attendance of the diseased pupils in an urban area of Egypt, El Mahalla El Kubra city was chosen as a highly populated one. Six schools were chosen randomly form the three districts of the city and the health records over 5 schoalistic years were analysed. Also, health visitors and mothers of diseased pupils were interviewed. The study confirmed the presence of a new epidemic of scabies. there was progessive increase in the incidence of scabies. It rose during the study period more than two folds and ranked at the top of all reported infectious diseases at the studied schools Moreover, scabies became one of the important diseases, that greatly disturb the school attendance of the affected pupils. In the last schoalistic year [1993 1994],2.7% of scabietic pupils were absent more than one month. A comperhensive program for prevention and control of scabies at the community level is recommended and further researches to investigate the causes of resistant scabies are needed

Factors affecting length of stay at the department of obstetrics and gynaecology in Tanta University Hospital

This study has been performed to determine the causes of prolonged stay and bed mis-utilization at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Tanta University Hospitals. The concurrent individual case review was followed -for 100 patients selected from the three wards of the Department during a period of four months in the year 1993. The average patient's stay was 7.3 days preoperatively and 11.7 days postoperatively. The longest stay belonged to of fibroid uterus group [25 +/- 8.37 days]. The infertility group had the shortest preoperative stay [4.75 +/- 3.88 days]. The main reasons of preoperative delay were: delayed investigations and unfitness of the patient for die operation. As regard causes of postoperative delay; extramedical factors were responsible for most of delays, probably being related to attitudes and preferences of surgeons and patients. More than one cause contributed in most of both preoperative [32.6%] and postoperative delays of stay [28.7%]. This delay led to wastage of 296 and 227 days preoperative and postoperative respectively. All causes of pre and postoperative delay resulted in 464 and 428 inappropriate days. This constituted 69.05% and 40.5% of die total pre and postoperative hospital day care respectively. This pointed to the seriousness of the phenotmenon at the Department. As discussed in this report, the majority of causes of prolonged stay and bed misutilization either pre or postoperative could be avoided and dius die efficiency of bed utilization at die Department could be greatly increased

Body mass index: pattern and impact of some variables affecting it among secondary school students in Gharbia Governorate, Egypt

To determine the Pattern of body mass index of secondary school students in Gharbia Governate and the impact of some variables on it, this study was conducted in Zifta city. It is one of the largest cities in the Governorate with population of 95.809 persons. A representative sample of its secondary schools was chosen randomly for the study with a total number of 1234 boys and 1158 girls ages 14- 20 years. Standard techniques were employed to measure height and weight. Special scoring systems were used to determine the socioeconomic level, the physical activity and nature of feeding habits of the students. The study revealed that half of male and female students have standard weight grade O.The underweight males were nearly three times that of females [39.7% and 13.8% respectively]. The pattern was the reverse as regards obesity grade I and II where obese females were more than four times that of males. Non of students fall in the category of very obese grade III. Both the socioeconomic level and the level of education of mothers slowed Statistically significant association with the body mass index category. As either of them increased the category increased. On the other hand, the physical inactivity could be [considered as a risk factor for obesity among adolescents. Moreover, the feeding habits had significant effect on body mass index of both male and female students. Only 9.4% of females with good feeding habits were underweight corresponding to 15.1% of those with M feeding habits. Also there was 24.2% obese females with good feeding habits compared to 3 3.7% with bad ones. Thus nutrition education program is highly recommended in all socioeconomic levels and all levels of education in the Egyptian society. Also, physical exercise should be encouraged by schools and parents especially for girls and implantation of good feeding habits in our children is a must to be healthy adolescents and adults

Bed utilzation in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology in Tanta University Hospital

Tha aim of the study was to assess the efficiency of bed utilization in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Tanta University Hospital during the year 1992. There was 1190 admission occuping 16097 hospital bed days. These patients consumed an average of 13.5 days in hospital. The bed occupancy rate and the bed turn over rate were lower than expected [61.25 and 16.53 days] while the turn over interval was lengthly [8.56 days]. In all groups of patients, the average length of stay was beyond the proper period of hospitalization as manifestated in patients with fistula [59.8 days per case]; followed by prolapse [34.33 days], and fibroid uterus [27.12 days]. Even missed loop admissions occupied 17.22 days on average. These results pointed to misutilization of hospital beds. Identification and prevention of causes of such misutilization in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology could improve resource utilization and prevent hazards of prolonged hospitalisation