Health status assessment among population in Al Khawneej region, Dubai: chronic conditions and some associated factors

Assessment of the population health status is required to determine priority population health needs, identify populations most at-risk and refine health service planning Aim of the study: to assess the health status of the population in Al kawaneej region [Dubai] in terms of some chronic conditions [diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hpercholestelemia and overweight and obesity] and to determine some associated factors. A cross sectional study was conducted in Al Khawneej region. Household survey was conducted to compromise all available adult individual aged 18 years or more at the time of the survey. The total number O participants reached 210. The participants were subjected to the following tools: interview questionnaire, measurement of weight and height, blood pressure, laboratory investigations which include the fasting blood sugar, blood cholesterol level, and triglyceride level and low density lipoprotein. The ordering of the studied health problems as follow, the overweight and obesity came first in the health problems of the people of this region, it was 71.4%[44.3% and 27.1%], 60.5% had a high level of Low density lipoprotein, high blood cholesterol level was detected in 40.5% of the participants, it was found that 25.7% suffered from hypertension, while the diabetes mellitus was accounted for 13.3%. Stepwise logistic regression revealed that age 40 years or more was the predictor for diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia and hypertension, furthermore obesity was also the predictor for hypercholesterolemia, while the low 'educational level was associated with overweight and obesity. The survey pointed out that the problem of the overweight and obesity came first in the health problems of the people of this region, followed by a high level of Low density lipoprotein, high blood cholesterol level, hypertension, and then diabetes mellitus. We are in crucial need for an intervention program to reduce these risk factors and to enhance healthy life style which including dietary pattern and physical activity

CHROMagar staph aureus versus Baird Parker Agar for the detection and enumeration of Staphylococcus aureus from cheese samples

This paper evaluated a new chromogenic plate medium, CHROMagar Staph. aureus [CSAM], for the detection and enumeration of Staph. Aureus in cheese samples compared with the conventional Baird Parker agar medium [BPAM]. CSAM showed greater rates of recovery, specificity and efficiency reached 92.2%, 98.5% and 96.3% compared with those of BPAM, which were 83.5%, 49.2% and 61.6%. On the basis of its excellent recovery, the specificity, efficiency, ease of identification of the characteristic colored colonies, especially if they were of very low counts in mixed cultures, CSAM can be recommended as a routine planting medium for the detection and enumeration of Staph. Aureus from food