Assessment of knowledge and practice of primary school personnel towards communicable diseases among school age students in El-Minia city

School age children are the parents, workers, leaders and decision makers of tomorrow and their future success depends in good measure on achievement of their educational goal today. Communicable diseases [CD] are the leading cause of killer of children and young adults. It accounts for over half the total burden of disease in poor counties with high mortality rates. In particular, they cause over 13 million deaths each year, and account for one out of every two children's deaths. In addition, a small number of infectious diseases are responsible for 90% of deaths: pneumonia, AIDS, diarrhea, tuberculosis, malaria and measles Person with infectious diseases may exhibit a broad spectrum of disease that rang from inapparent infection to severe and fatal disease and increase spread of infection to large number of people thus increase economic burden. The aim of this study is to assess knowledge and practices of school personnel towards communicable diseases among school students. Study subjects were distributed among the following schools: Elekhssass, Shallaby, Eltagrebia, Elfoly, Elmontazha, Elsalah, Houda Shaghrawy, Saaed Zaglol, Taric Ebn Ziaed, Othman Ebn A fan, Elsaedia and Omar Ebn Elkhtab. In El-Minia city 2008; subjects of this study are consist of a sample size which include 525 primary school personnel [471 teachers, 42 workers and 12 school nurses], the schools selected randomly after excluding of private schools and schools with special needs. The tools used included two types; a]-structured assessment questionnaire, and b]-observational checklist. There are statistical significant differences were found among awareness of school personnel about infection and [CD]. Also, statistical significant differences were found among awareness of school personnel about measures used to prevent spread of infection among students. There are statistical significant differences were found among school personnel related to the sources of getting information. There are statistical significant differences were found between school teachers and nurses when they find communicable diseases among students. There are statistical significant differences were found between school teachers and nurses toward health education. All school personnel weren't completely oriented to [CD] that affect their students, lack of inservice training program for the school personnel, and unavailability of health insurance guide books, and all school workers hadn't any protective clothes during work time. Recommendations; all school districts should provide initial inservices training program about [CD] for all staff, and an annual update for the all

Assessment of knowledge, practice and attitudes of workers working in Assuiut University toward the elderly care

Aging is a complex and dynamic process with interrelated and inseparable physiological, psychological and sociological components. Moreover the elderly can be a burden to themselves, their families and their communities. The present study aims to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of workers in Assiut University toward the elderly care. The subjects of the study consist of 624 working personnel in different faculties in Assiut University setting. They were chosen using proportion allocation method which was 25% of the total number of working personnel in each faculty, the total number of the workers in Assiut University was 2558. The results revealed that the mean age of the workers was 37,2 +/- 11.6, females represented 60% of the studied sample, 44% of them were highly educated, and 81.0% of them living in urban communities, 45.8% of them living with elderly persons at home, while 54.2% not living with them. Majority of the studied sample had good knowledge regarding to the changes, which occur to the elderly, such as nutrition, sleeping problems, accident and exercise, while the majority of them had a poor knowledge regarding health promotion and disease prevention of the elderly. Only 14.7% of the studied sample had a satisfactory degree of practice toward the elderly care and the rest of them had a poor degree of practice. Females in studied sample had more score in practice than males. Those living in rural communities also had more score in knowledge and practice than those living in urban communities. The portion of the studied sample that was living with elderly persons, at their homes had high score in knowledge and practice than who were not living with them