Knowledge, attitude and practice of nurses toward peak expiratory flow meter in primary health care centers in Kuwait

Peak expiratory flow meter [PEFM] is an easy to use, relatively cheap device that can be used for guiding management of bronchial asthma by the patients at home according to a preset plan by health care workers. The aim of the study is to reveal the extent of knowledge and perception of nurses about PEFM and factors affecting their knowledge. Out of the total primary health care centers in Kuwait, 50% were randomly selected. Out of 699 nurses currently working in the selected centers, 516 nurses were interviewed for this study with an overall response rate of 73.8%. The results of this study showed that nurses had a relatively low total knowledge score percent of 64.7 +/- 7.3%. The lowest individual mean percent score was that of procedures and steps of measuring peak expiratory flow rate [39.0 +/- 24.1%]. The highest percent knowledge score was that of benefits of use and content instructions for teaching patients [78.3 +/- 19.5% and 78.1 +/- 12.0%, respectively]. Sociodemographic factors did not affect the total knowledge score. Receiving training, availability of PRFM in the health center and being responsible about taking the measurements for patients proved to significantly affect the level of knowledge of nurses. Training nurses about use of PEFM and providing primary health care centers with the devices would plan an important role to improve knowledge of nurses and hence improve domestic health care of patients with obstructive lung diseases

Incidence and potential risk factors of low birth weight among full term deliveries

Low birth weight [less than 2500 grams] [LBW] is a reliable indicator in monitoring and evaluating the success of maternal and child health programs. Giving birth to a LBW infant is influenced by several factors. The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of LBW among live born full term deliveries in Al-Adan governmental hospital and to study the possible determinants of its occurrence. The first phase of the study was a descriptive one including all live born full term deliveries of women attended the hospital within the first 2 months of pregnancy and followed up till delivery. In the second phase LBW women [cases] were compared with a double number of women who gave birth to normal birth weight infants. Among 939 women eligible for the study, the incidence of LBW was 7.8%. Reproductive age lower than 25 years, gestational age lower than 40 weeks, history of previous abortion, primiparity, maternal underweight and anemia were detected as independent risk factors for LBW. On the other hand, obesity was a protective factor. Low birth weight occurs frequently in Kuwait, although its incidence is much lower than in many countries in the region. Prenatal management of modifiable factors and adequate antenatal care and screening for susceptible women should be a target for all obstetricians for reducing the incidence of LBW