Prevalence of smoking among Egyptian school students living in Cairo

The present study was conducted in selected schools in Greater Cairo including both high and low socioeconomic areas [Heliopolis and El- Waily, respectively] randomly chosen. One thousand students were recruited through multistage random sampling. A self-administrative questionnaire was used and included questions demonstrating the socioeconomic data of the studied students and questions about the smoking habit, risk factors for starting smoking as well as health beliefs concerning this habit. Urinary continence was estimated in a sub sample of the students as a confirmatory test. The questionnaire revealed a total prevalence of smoking of 8%, most of them were from El-Waily area. Urinary continine revealed a possibility of nine extra smokers in Heliopolis which would raise the prevalence from 1% to 19% in this area. Causes of starting smoking were found to be mainly freedom from family bonds. Increased number of siblings and more pocket money were detected as risk factors. The fathers and mothers education and occupation had no role in their sibs smoking yet having smokers in the family affected the incidence of smoking. Most students swallowed rather than blew their tobacco and the source of their first cigarette was mainly a friend

Adolescent abuse in a community sample in Beni Suef, Egypt: prevalence and risk factors

Adolescent abuse was studied in 555 school students [mean age 15.6 +/- 1.5 years] selected by multistage random sampling in Beni Suef in 1998. Each student received a general physical examination and a pre-coded questionnaire to identify determinants of abuse. Prevalence of abuse was 36.6%. Emotional, physical, sexual and combined abuse prevalence was 12.3%, 7.6%, 7.0% and 9.7% respectively. Significant predictors of sexual abuse were hyperactive child, disabled child, disinterested mother, low birth order child or wasted child. For physical abuse, significant predictors were maternal disinterest, maternal education and injuries. Significant predictors of emotional abuse were overcrowding, disease and mistreatment by a teacher. Violent behaviour was reported for more than 20% of the emotionally and the sexually abused

Improving anticancer dietary knowledge and practices of nursing students by nutrition education

This study was carried out at Kasr El-Aini High Nursing Institute. It aimed at assessing basic anticancer dietary knowledge and practices of nurse students and the role of short-term nutrition education intervention in improving them. The study included 98 female nurse students. Their age ranged between 17.0 and 24.0 with an average +/- SD of 20.6 +/- 1.7 years. Their average weight, height and body mass index [BMI] were 61.9 +/- 10.6, 158.6 +/- 7.0 and 24.7 +/- 4.1. Educational curricula were the source of dietary information in> 80% of cases. Educational sessions led to significant increase in the knowledge scores of dietary guidelines, cancer primitive foods, cancer protective foods and overall knowledge. It improved the consumption pattern of anticancer foods. More than 90% of the students developed the desire to change their diet. Most of the student were satisfied and recommended inclusion of the subject in regular academic curricula

Factors underlying failure of breast feeding in Kuwait

In response to a long perceived but only recently marked decline in breast- feeding in Kuwait, this study was conducted to investigate the factors underlying the failure of breast-feed. All 982 infants attending the largest primary health center for vaccination during data gathering period in the five governorates were included in the study. Mothers were interviewed about the method of infant feeding, its characteristics, parental and maternal characteristics known to be associated with feeding. Data were gathered via personal interviews with the mothers. Failure of breast-feeding was significantly associated with improper feeding practices as delayed onset of breast feeding after birth, not giving breast milk as first food and early introduction of supplementary foods. Other significant associates were parental age, education and occupation, mother's knowledge, suffering health problems during pregnancy or labor, her previous pregnancies and the type of contraceptive use. Educational programs emphasizing giving breast milk as the first food shortly after birth, not beginning supplements before the fourth month and using contraceptives other than pills, while breast feeding are to be targeted to middle educated parents at the two extremes of age, working mothers and those suffering problems during pregnancy or labor

Feeding practices in infants in Kuwait: Methods and interrelationships

This study was carried out to investigate infant feeding practices in Kuwait and their interrelationships. The studied sample was a stratified sample of 982 infants representing those attending the preventive Health centers for vaccination. Data were collected via personal interviews with the mother. Analysis showed that breast feeding, mixed feeding and bottle feeding were practiced by 14.8%, 20.9% and 64.1% of infants respectively. The highest prevalence of breast feeding alone or mixed was observed among infants <3 months [48.7%]. It declined progressively afterwards. Al-Jahra showed that the highest prevalence of breast feeding alone [22%] or mixed [33%] and the lowest prevalence of bottle feeding [44.1%]. Bottle feeding was practiced most frequently in Hawally and Farwaniya [73.7% and 70.6% respectively]. Supplementary milk feeds were introduced as early as the first month of life. They were associated with significantly less breast feeds. The earlier they were introduced the higher were the chances that the infant would be bottle fed. Milk insufficiency, child refusal and maternal disease were the most frequently reported reasons for cessation of breast feeding. The type of first food given and the onset of breast feeding after birth were significantly associated with the method of feeding practiced

Iron supplement for breast fed infants

The current study was done to judge whether or not iron supplement was necessary for breast-fed infants after the fourth month of life. Thirty normal healthy full term breast-fed infants were studied from their fifth to twelfth month of life. Half of these infants were supplemented with oral elemental iron in a daily dose of 3 mg/kg body weight, while, the rest were non-supplemented. At the end of the study, the iron supplemented infants showed significantly higher length, head circumference, and total body iron increment on comparison with the non-supplemented infants. Thus, iron supplement is essential for breast-fed infants after the fourth month of life