Diabetes mellitus among school children in Alexandria: a case control approach

A total of 106 students diagnosed as diabetes mellitus were studied with their controls. Positive family history and consanguinity of parents were the main risk factors. Diabetics had significantly less body mass index and triceps skinfold thickness than controls. The peak presentation of diabetes was at the age of 12-14 years. Polyuria and polydepsia were the main presenting symptoms. More than two thirds of diabetes mellitus [70.5%] occurred in the first quarter of the year

Sociocultural determinants of feeding practices and changes in such practices in response to Diarrhoea

A cross sectional study has been carried out among mothers with children less than 3 years in Alexandria to determine the feeding practices and its change during and after diarrhoea. About four fifths [79.43%] of rural children below two years of age were breast fed as compared to 54.33% of the urban group. There was a significant difference between urban and rural children as regards duration of breast feeding, age of providing food other than breast feeding, type and age of weaning. About three quarters [72.41%] of mothers in rural area gave insufficient milk as the reason for not breast feeding as compared to 58.23% among the urban mothers. Among breast fed infants, only about one fifth of mothers continued breast feeding during diarrhoea in rural [20.45%] and urban areas [19.90%]. No significant difference was observed between responses from urban and rural mothers about feeding practices during convalescence

Assessment of vaccination coverage in Hawalli, Kuwait

An immunization coverage survey was carried out in Hawalli, Kuwait of the year 1984 to determine the vaccination coverage of oral polio vaccine [OPV], DPT and measles vaccine and to assess the efficacy of measles vaccine. 236 eligible children 12-23 months at the time of evaluation were sampled in 30 randomly clusters. Children fully immunized against DPT and poliomyelitis [three doses or more of each] comprised 94.49%. Measles coverage was 85.17%. The proportion of fully immunized children [three doses or more of OPV, three doses or more of DPT and one dose of measles] was 81.36%. No significant difference in vaccination coverage in different areas of Hawalli was observed. 4 [18.68%] were defaulters, 2 had not been immunized and 42 children had not completed their course of immunization. The difference in distribution of defaulters among different nationalities is not statistically significant. Almost for out of every five mothers were aware of immunization. Measles vaccine efficacy was found to be 95.57%

Impact of the measles vaccination Program in Kuwait

Measles notification and vaccination data for Kuwait, l965-1984 were analysed to reveal trends in measles incidence, age distribution and seasonal pattern, since the measles vaccination program began in 1976. Notification efficiency of measles in the post-vaccination period is about three times [19.6%] as that in pre-vaccination years [6.5%]. The mean annual reported, incidence rate decreased from 526.5 cases per 100,000 population less than 15 years in 1965-1975 to 250.96 per 100,000 in the period 1976-1984. The average age of notified measles cases has risen from approximately 5 to approximately 6.5 years, over the 9 years since the program began. Monthly seasonal index of measles calculated in the post-vaccination period has been similar to that during the pre-vaccination era, but, major epidemics occur in odd-numbered years. There is a striking biennial pattern of measles in Kuwait. Adjusting the reported cases of measles by the notification efficiency, there is a repeated pattern of minor epidemic years in the post-vaccination period. The force of infection in the post-vaccination period was higher in the age group 5-14 years than that observed in the pre-vaccination one

Population study of blood pressure and associated factors in Kuwait

A population survey of blood pressure in Kuwait has confirmed that high blood pressure constitutes an important public health problem giving a prevalence rate of 15.14%. In common with other studies blood pressure was found to be significantly correlated with body weight, possibly by a primary effect on diastolic pressure. Systolic blood pressure was also significantly correlated with age and family history of hypertension and diastolic blood pressure was primarily correlated with the number of cigarettes smoked per day. There was a significant difference between mean blood pressures of both diabetics and non diabetics

Viral hepatitis in Alexandria

Viral hepatitis is considered one of the most important problems in the field of infectious diseases allover the world. The aim of the work was to study the most important epidemiological factors which may predispose to the occurrence of the disease and detection of HBs Ag among a subsample. The total number of the studied sample amounted to 1055 hepatitis cases. The study group was subjected to an interview for collection of basic epidemiologic data. The results obtained revealed that most of the cases were illiterate living at a low sanitary condition as indicated from the crowding index and sanitary condition of their homes. History of blood transfusion, contact with viral hepatitis cases and parenteral drug use were found to be potential risk factors in the occurrence of the disease. Among a subsample of hepatitis cases 28% were found to be HBs Ag +ve

Rubella in Kuwait: selected epidemiologic characteristics

Rubella notification data for Kuwait, 1970-1984 were analyzed to study the natural history of rubella, its incidence, annual force of infection, age distribution and seasonal pattern. Rubella epidemics occur every 3-4 years in Kuwait with a seasonal pack in spring. The annual force of rubella infection decreases with age. The highest incidence of rubella was among older school children and adolescents in epidemic years. Rubella was common in non-epidemic years. Rubella was common in non-epidemic years in preschool age. At least 92% of children of 12 months of age must be vaccinated to eliminate rubella in Kuwait