Influence of sociodemographic factors and environmental conditions on husbands' behavior toward maternal healthcare

Improving maternal health depends on husband's behavior which is affected by certain sociodemographic factors and environmental conditions. The study aimed to assess the husband's behavior toward maternal healthcare and emergency first aid measures for pregnancy and obstetric risks that might put life of women at risk of maternal death. The study also determined the socio-demographic factors and environmental conditions that influenced husband's behavior and attitude toward antenatal care providers and providers of assisted delivery. One thousand husbands of women in childbearing period were randomly selected through a community-based study that was conducted in 23 rural villages of four chosen districts of Benisuef and Al Fayoum governorates of Egypt. The study is a cross-sectional investigation conducted over a period of 8 months starting from July 2010 until February 2011. Data were collected from interviews of husbands on their sociodemographic characteristics, environmental conditions, and their knowledge, attitudes, intention, and practices toward maternal healthcare and services provided as well as toward providers of maternal healthcare. The study revealed that husbands who were younger than 20 years at the time of marriage, had a lower middle environmental score, and an upper middle income were nearly two or more times as likely of being unaware of the risk symptoms during pregnancy [odds ratio [OR] = 2.73, 1.37, and 1.59, respectively], during delivery [OR = 1.93, 1.31, and 1.76, respectively], and during the postnatal period [OR = 2.42, 1.36, and 1.77, respectively] compared with those older than 20 at the time of marriage, who had an upper middle environmental score, and a lower middle income. It is recommended to target husbands as an influential factor among high-risk wives by educating them on maternal health risks and by increasing their accessibility to maternal and obstetric health services, with special emphasis on younger men and those living under poor environmental conditions irrespective of their economic status

Knowledge and behavior towards viral hepatitis among Egyptian children, their mothers and pediatricians

Aim of the work was to assess the knowledge and behavior towards viral hepatitis among children, their mothers and pediatricians. It also aimed to determine the risk factors affecting the children's knowledge towards viral hepatitis and to evaluate the effect of the interventional health education program on their knowledge. This study is an interventional cross- sectional study carried out on a sample of 513 children aged 10 to 18 years, their mothers and 89 pediatricians, recruited from health insurance out-patient clinics. A questionnaire was constructed to collect demographic data [age, sex, and socioeconomic status], level of education of child as well as his parents. For the assessment of knowledge towards viral hepatitis, the questionnaire included 26 questions about the types, causative organisms, mode of transmission, symptoms, complications and prevention. It also included questions concerned with the children's behavior towards viral hepatitis as sharing spoons, razors and toothbrushes. The questionnaire was fulfilled by the study researchers through a direct interview with the studied groups. By the end of each day, a health education lecture covering the information included in the questionnaire was held for both, the children and their mothers. the questionnaire was fulfilled once more by the children to evaluate the effect of intervention program of health education. Those who reported <50% of the score were considered to have bad knowledge, 50%-75% fair knowledge and >75% were considered to have a good level of knowledge. The majority of the studied children [70%] and their mothers [100%] were found to have a bad level of knowledge while only 13% of children had a good level of knowledge towards viral hepatitis. As regards the pediatricians, 93.1% had a good level of knowledge while only 2.3% had a bad level. The mean level of knowledge was upgraded significantly among children from 7.8 +/- 7.4 before health education to 12.1 +/- 6.1 for the post test. The level of knowledge was significantly higher among those within the age group 16-18 years and those in secondary schools in the pre and post-tests [p=0.000]. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the younger age of children was the most significant predictor for bad knowledge. As regards the behavior, nearly 3% and 5.6% of the studied children share toothbrushes and shaving razors while none of the pediatricians did. The percentage of vaccinated pediatricians against HAV and HBV vaccination was 15.7% and 64.7% respectively. There was a low level of knowledge towards viral hepatitis especially among children and their mothers. Health education program led to upgrading of their knowledge. More efforts have to be carried out on wide scales in order to raise the level of children's knowledge and consequently their behavior towards viral hepatitis for the prevention of this serious disease.

Risk factors for injuries among sportive female students in the Faculty of Physical Education for Girls, Cairo, Egypt

Over the last thirty years, participation of girls and women in organized athletics has increased dramatically. While the benefits of participation in sports and exercise vastly outweigh the risk of permanent injury, an evolving concern is the number of stress fractures in active women. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of injuries among sportive female students in the faculty of physical education and to assess risk factors of sportive injuries among those students. A cross sectional retrospective case control study was conducted over a period of eight months to detect risk factors for injuries among female students in the Faculty of Physical Education for girls, Helwan University, Cairo. The sample size was 684 female students chosen from the second, third and fourth grades. They were subjected to fill three types of questionnaires, general questionnaire, anxiety sheet and life events sheet. Weight was measured using lever balance. Standing height was measured to the nearest centimeter. Blood pressure was measured with the subjects seated and rested for at least 15 minutes using mercury sphygmomanometer Those above 130/85 were considered hypertensives. The study showed the prevalence of different types of injuries and their frequencies among sportive female students. Fractures represented 12.4% in grade Il, 15.3% in grade III and 35.2% in grade IV. Sprains represented 18.1%, 10.8% and 19.5% among students in grades II, III and IV respectively; also prolapsed vertebral disc presented 1.8% of students in grade II, 0.8% in grade III and 1.9% in grade IV with statistical significant differences p =0.001. The most statistical significant health related risk factors were, anxiety as most of cases fell in the severe degree [52.3%] with p value = 0.001 and BMI with p value= 0.003. Irregular menstruation represented by 58.8% of cases and 48.8% of controls with statistical significant differences p= 0.018. The prevalence of fractures and sprains in cases with menstrual irregularity represented 24.4%, and 18.1% respectively with statistical significant differences [p =0.01]. Past history of injuries represented 19.7% among cases versus 6.7% of controls with statistically significant difference p =0.001. Also, absence of friends as a risk factor showed significantly higher percentage among cases than controls [7.5% and 3.2% respectively] p = 0.019. All social risk factors showed increased percentages among cases compared to controls and the most statistically significant variable was the presence of diseased parents represented 46.1% for cases and 32.9% for controls with p value = 0.001. The most effective risk factors for injuries were the past history of injuries, absence of friends, diseased parents. anxiety and BMI. Care should be taken for the new corners to the Faculty of Physical Education to exclude those with past history of Injuries and with irregular menstruation as it is a predisposing factor to osteoporosis and stress fracture and Also, periodic check up should be planned to those students to deal with any developed risk factors