Epidemiological study on smoking habit among females in Baghdad city-1991

A questionnaire of 4816 females from different areas of Baghdad City on smoking habit showed that the prevalence rate of smoking habit among females [PR-SHAF] was 13.3%. The PR-SHAF increased as age progressed. 0.3L of females started smoking at the age of 9 years, the percentage of female smokers continued to increase till the age of 24 years [29.5%] then declined to reach 6.9% after the age of 40 years. High PR-SHAF were found among widows [45.42] in comparison to divorcedo [42.4%] or married women [14.3%] or singles [5.4%]. The PR-SHAF decreased as the level of education among females increased. House wives showed a high PR of smoking habit [22.7%] followed by clerical women [18.5%] teachers [18%] then students [6.8%]. The most prevalent cause for smoking was the presence of smoking habit in the family [25.3%] and psychological problems [21.9%]. Several causes prevented females from stopping smoking such as inability to stop smoking [20.1%]. feeling she is addict to smoking [19.6%] and the presence of problems [17.4%]. The study recommends to consider the results in the anti-smoking program which is usually designed by the public health planners

Epidemiological study on the habit of smoking among youth in Baghdad city

A random sample of 8955 youth [14-24 years old] was studied. 13.5% were regular smoking. There was a significant difference between male and female smokers and also between different age among both sexes. 61% of male smokers and 81% of female smokers started smoking at age of 16-20 years although some of the males started at age of 10 years and some of the females started at age of 13 years. 34.5% of smokers started smoking because they accompanied smokers. 54.4% of those who smoked were not able to stop smoking. This study recommends the health planners to start an anti-smoking campaign at the primary school and should continue up to the end of university level

Organomercury poisoning in Iraq [a follow-up study]

Fifty severely poisoned Iraqi patients by organomercury compounds in 1971-1972 were studied in order to determine the changes in sings and symptoms in these individuals after 17 years and to find the effects of this poison on their reproductive ability. 42% were females and 58% were males. Their ages ranged between 20-70 years. The results showed considerable improvement in most of the sign and symptoms of the severely ellected cases. Most of them have normal sexual and reproductive abilities. There was improvement in bindness, unability to walk hearing changes and rash with different rates of cure in all other symptoms. Constriction of the visual field remained in 64% acuity of vision improved

Analytical study of some factors affecting blood pressure values in males and females of 18-23 years of age

Fifty male students and 50 female students from each age groups 18-23 years, A total of 300 male and 300 female students were subjected to blood pressure recording by using the standard mercury sphyngomanometere, the results were tabulated and analysed according to factors of age, sex, relation between systolic arid diastolic B. P. values, and family history of hypertension. Males have higher values than females for both systolic and diastolic BP., the lowest systolic B.P., readings were recorded in the age of 19 years for both, males and females, and the lowest diastolic B.P. readings were recorded in the age of 19 years for males and 20 years for females. The analysis shows that the annual increament of the systolic B. P. is 0.575 mmHg and the diastolic B.P. is 0.068 mmHg, at the age interval 18-23 years of age. Family history of hypertension did not show its effects at this age interval, as the B. P. values of those with family history of hypertension falls within the confidence limits of the B. P. values of the sample

use of leishmanin skin test in cutaneous leishmaniasis in Iraq

Leishmanin skin test is used as an indicator of present or past exposure to cutaneose leishmaniasis. It becomes positive well before, protective development of any cell- mediated immunity. Four groups of individuals included in this study:1- 100 cases of proved Cutaneous Leishmaniasis clinically or by positive smear. 2- 114 individuals from a known endemic area "Mendeli, Bedra and Omera". of cutaneous Leishmaniasis with no previous history of being infected. 3- 96 individuals from a non endemic areas "Center of Mosul, and center of Baghdad". 4- 20 individuals with a scar suggestive of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. The findings are discussed, compared with the results reported by others

Comparative study on the effects of school feeding programme on the heights and weights of school boys within three years

Four hundred and thirty three male students from the 1st primary class and the same number from the 4th primary class with ages of 7 and 10 years respectively and who were covered by the school feeding programme, are considered in this study. Their heights and weights are compared with the heights and weights of similar sample of students from primary school not covered by the school feeding programme, in order to assess the value of supplementary feeding on the school children within three years. The results show no significant differences in the heights and weights between the two groups of students

Serum lipid abnormalities in chronic hemodialysis

Fasting levels of serum triglyceride, cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein [HDL] were measured in 67 uremic patients receiving maintenance hemodialysis, during 5 years. These patients had higher serum triglyceride levels [P < 0.01] and lower cholesterol levels [P < 0.01] than normal values. The HDL levels appeared to be lower in those patients. These changes specially HDL in patients undergoing chronic maintenance dialysis may markedly increased their risk for premature coronary artery disease, but only one patient out of 13 death died of Myocardial infarction

Level of hemoglobin concentration in Baghdad kindergarten children

The survey was done on kindergarten children between the age of 4 - 5 years detect the incidence of anaemia by use of Sahli's method. Six kindergartens were chosen randomly from three different socio-economic areas in Baghdad city. The food of these children depends mainly on what is given to them by their parents. Any deficiency in the nutritional knowledge of the parents will be reflected on their children's health. It was found that higher incidence of anaemia prevails in the middle and low socio-economic sectors. Stress on health education and standard of living of the parents has been emphasized

Epidemiological study of road traffic accidents in Baghdad area

Road Traffic Accident [R.T.A.] is one of the most important causes of death. Three months data on R.T.A. was collected and statistically analysed. There was an average of 24 R.T.A. per day. The Al-Thouwra area showed the highest number of R.T.A. There was a significant difference among males for occurrence of R.T.A., but it was not so for females. The effect of time during the day for occurrence of R.T.A. was highly significant, but there was no significant difference among the days of the week. Those who reported the cause of R.T.A. alcohol was the main followed by hitting a lamp post