Assessing validity of the adapted Arabic Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire among Egyptian children with asthma

The recent focus in asthma management is rendering children a better quality of life [QOL]. Validity and reliability of an adapted Arabic translation of the Paediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire [PAQLQ-A] among Egyptians was assessed in a cohort of 103 asthmatic children aged 8-16 years. Discriminative validity of mean scores was significantly higher among mild asthmatics than those with moderate/severe asthma. Construct validity of domains was significantly negatively correlated with clinical severity score. Reliability and internal consistency were assessed using Cronbach alpha coefficient [alpha = 0.84]. Reproducibility and responsiveness were high among both stable and unstable asthma patients. PAQLQ-A is valid and reliable for assessing QOL among Egyptian asthmatic children

Female youth health promotion model in primary health care: a community-based study in rural Upper Egypt

The health status of underprivileged young females is a global concern. This intervention study in rural Upper Egypt used an integrated approach to develop a model for primary care health promotion services to female adolescents. An initial household survey and focus group discussions identified the health problems of a sample of 671 adolescent women aged 12-20 years recruited from one village. Interventions included training courses for health care providers on relevant health topics and on client-provider interaction skills; community and local authority mobilization; and health education sessions and a special record system for the women. An increase was seen in the utilization of primary care services

Prevalence of type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes in a rural area of Giza-Egypt; a community based study

Diabetes has a priority position on the Egyptian health policy agenda, since it became an emerging public health problem. this study responded to the need for [early detection] of diabetes, among rural individuals >/= 20 years. an epidemiological cross - sectional, community-based survey was conducted in nazlet el ashtar village, giza, upper egypt. a simple random sample of 1,000 male and female individuals >/= 20 years was taken. all participants were subjected to interview questionnaire [to assess sociodemographic characteristics, and diabetes risk factors], anthropometric measurements, blood pressure measurements, screening test to detect a random capillary blood glucose level and diagnostic tests; the fasting and 2 hours post prandial venous blood sample. history of diagnosed type 2 diabetes was stated by 4.3% of the individuals. findings of the screening test revealed prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes at 7.7% and 4.9% respectively. the diagnostic test conducted to positive cases for diabetes provided a prevalence rate for diabetes at 6.3%. the peak prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes was found to occur in the age interval 40-49 and the prevalence of pre-diabetes was significantly higher among males than females [p < 0.05]. stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed that positive history of hypertension, positive family history of diabetes and waist circumference >/= 88 in females and >/= 102 in males as risk factors for prediabetes and diabetes. the prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing in the rural area in greater cairo among >/= 20 years of age population. consider introduction of blood glucose testing, starting before the age of 40 years, for early detection of diabetes at the PHC level especially in the family medicine practice