Behavioral and educational interventions to improve asthma outcomes in children: a systematic review

Background: Asthma, being a chronic inflammatory disease requires not only medical treatment but also complimentary healthcare, self-management strategies and interventions for the appropriate management and possible prevention of attack as well as reduction of school absences and days of restricted activity and decrease emergency room utilization

Methods: Randomized clinical trial [RCT] data reviewed for outcomes and processes associated with asthma educational and behavioral interventions provided by different types of health professionals. The study group has synthesized studies that identified barriers and interventions to improve asthma symptoms and management in children through searching in MEDLINE, Cochrane EMBASE, TOXLine and CINAHL considering papers starting from 1999

Results: Physician-led interventions were most successful for outcomes related to the use of health care. Multidisciplinary teams were best in achieving symptom reduction and quality of life. Lay persons were best in achieving self-management/self-efficacy outcomes. Components most frequently employed in successful programs are skills to improve patient-clinician communication and education to enhance patient self-management. Fifty percent of interventions achieved reduction in the use of health care and one-third in symptom control. A combination approach including self-management and patient-clinician communication involving multidisciplinary team members may have the greatest effect on most outcomes

Conclusion: Strong evidences suggest that the development of self-management and clinician-patient communication skills are essentially required and considered as critical factors for Asthma patients particularly children symptoms alleviation and outcomes improvement in the long term. This can be achieved by appropriate self-care, awareness programs through effective educational and behavioral intervention which are crucial components associated with success across outcomes and providers

Prevalence of urinary tract infections among diabetes mellitus and non-diabetic patients attending a teaching hospital in Ajman, UAE

Objectives: To explore the prevalence and determinants of UTI among diabetic and non-diabetic patients attending the Gulf Medical College Hospital and Research Center, Ajman, UAE

Materials and Methods: A cross sectional comparative study was conducted during February and March 2012. 400 adults [aged >20 years] attending the Internal Medicine Department outpatient in GMCHRC [200 diabetes mellitus patients and 200 non-diabetic patients] were included in the study. A validated pilot-tested questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection

Results: A positive association was found between diabetes mellitus and the development of urinary tract infections. Contributing factors that showed a significant association were age >40 years, female gender, lower education level, employment status, poor diabetic control, and age at diagnosis of diabetes [>60 years]

Conclusion: Factors such as diagnosis at older age, poor diabetes control, and socio-demographic factors like age, gender, education, and occupation were significantly associated with UTI

Prevalence of urinary tract infections among diabetes mellitus and non-diabetic patients attending a teaching hospital in Ajman, United Arab Emirtaes

To explore the prevalence and determinants of UTI among diabetic and non-diabetic patients attending the Gulf Medical College Hospital and Research Center, Ajman, UAE. Across sectional comparative study was conducted during February and March 2012. 400 adults [aged >20 years] attending the Internal Medicine Department outpatient in GMCHRC [200 diabetes mellitus patients and 200 non-diabetic patients] were included in the study. A validated pilot-tested questionnaire was used as a tool for data collection. A positive association was found between diabetes mellitus and the development of urinary tract infections. Contributing factors that showed a significant association were age >40 years, female gender, lower education level, employment status, poor diabetic control, and age at diagnosis of diabetes [>60 years]. Factors such as diagnosis at older age, poor diabetes control, and socio-demographic factors like age, gender, education, and occupation were significantly associated with UTI

Barriers encountered by under graduate nursing students while providing health education to patients

This study aimed to identify the barriers encountered by undergraduate nursing students while providing health education for patients. The study was conducted at the Faculty of Nursing, University of Alexandria. The sample included all second year nursing students [approximately 250]. One tool was developed and used to collect the necessary data of the study. It was a structured questionnaire [Health Education Barriers Questionnaire HEBQ] used to identify the hindering Factors, problems and difficulties that are encountered by nursing students enrolled in Medical Surgical Nursing Department in providing patient health education.. Based on the analysis of the nursing students' responses, the result revealed that: the nursing students of the Faculty of nursing, University of Alexandria have a serious lacking in knowledge regarding health education process