Pattern of meningitis in kalyobia. Governorate Egypt in the last therteen years [1984 to 1996]

Total of 3822 cases of meningitis were reported to the central laboratories of Kalyobia Governorate [Egypt] from the first of January 1984 to the end of December 1996. The main trend of the disease showed peak incidence in the period from 1989 to 1991 [Epidemic wave]. Haemophilus influenzae [35.04%] and Nesseria meningitidis [24.23%] were the most common bacterial agents diagnosed. Meningococcal meningitis was mostly caused by group A [30.24%] and group B [13.17%] allover the period of the study, while other new groups were diagnosed during the epidemic period [CD, W 135, Y and Z], the later showed high frequency [28.94%]. 11.30% of the cases had purulent meningitis but without detectable aetiology owing to the early use of antibiotics. A govemomental fever hospital taken as a sample model, high frequency of cases was below 15 years with 1.22 male to female ratio, but epidemic period showed increase in the female frequency. Meningococci were the responsible agent during the epidemic and responsible for 23.07% of all the hospital mortalities. The highest case fatality rate was in the preepidemic period [15.7%]. From this study it is recommended to establish a preventive program aiming at reducing the disease incidence, morbidity and mortality through: increasing the immunization coverage, improve the vaccine quality, disease surveillance and proper management of the diagnosed cases

KAP study of family planning among married rural females in kalyobia Governorate

This work was conducted on attendants of a rural health unit in El-Shokre Village, Kalyobia governorate. Three hundreds and twenty married women in the child bearing period were the target sample. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice [KAP] of married rural women towards family planning in kalyobia governorate. This research showed that 92.1% of contraceptive users aged 25 years or more compared to 75.0% of the non-users. Illiteracy was significantly prevalent among non-users who were mainly not working and bearing more number of children than contraceptive users. The most popular and practiced contraceptive methods were intrauterine device and contraceptive pills. A significant gap was also found between users and non-users regarding their opinion about the ideal number of children and the ideal interconceptional period where non-users preferred more number of children as well as shorter period [P < 0.05]. Mass media was found to be an effective source of knowledge among users than nonusers [72.6% and 39.3% respectively] while neighbours and relatives had a significant effect on the group of non-users than contraceptive users [P < 0.05]. The findings pointed to the minimal effect of rural health unit as a source of knowledge to the studied women. The study showed that interpregnancy spacing and having enough number of children were the main causes of acceptance of contraception among users. The results also, revealed satisfaction of contraceptive users where the discontinuation rate was 18.5%. The prominent reason for discontinuation was the desire to get more children while the main cause of rejection, given by non-users, was related to health factors and fear of side effects [57.2%]. The researchers stress on the importance of health education program, integrated with the other activities of primary health care units, to provide illiterate rural inhabitants with the correct knowledge about family planning as well as the effectiveness and safety of the contraceptive methods in order to creat a favourable attitude and practice