ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Marked variations in the incidence of particular types of childhood cancer exist between countries. We report on the geographic variation in the occurrence of childhood cancer in Jordan. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Cases were identified from the Jordan National Cancer Registry. We collected data on age, sex, type, primary site, and stage of cancer. Tumor topography and morphology were coded according to the accepted international standard. For all cases registered, 95.2% were histologically diagnosed. Incidence rates were calculated as annual rates per million population. The denominator is the 1997 estimate of the childhood population at ages 0-4, 5-9, and 10-14 years. RESULTS: There were 646 registered primary malignant neoplasms during the three-year study period (1996-1998). The annual incidence rate for all types of cancer combined was 113 per million children. The rate among children less than 5 years of age was 134.5 per million, for 5-9 years it was 97.8 per million, and for 10-14 years it was 104.1 per million. Overall, the age-standardized annual incidence rate was 113.8 per million. The most common diagnostic group was leukemia, accounting for more than a third of all cases, followed by brain tumors and lymphoma. The highest rate was in the capital, Amman. CONCLUSION: The pattern of childhood cancer in Jordan seems to be generally similar to other countries in the region, particularly the observed excess of lymphoma. Geographical variations in childhood cancer exist in Jordan and could be partly explained on the basis of lower detection or reporting, or both, in certain locations.
ABSTRACT
The objectives of this study were to: (1) estimate the magnitude of hypertension, and its levels of awareness and control of hypertension among a recently urbanised community of Jordanian aborigines; and (2) to compare the study findings with findings from other Jordanian communities. A sample was randomly selected from the roster of all inhabitants of the community aged 25 years or older. Data on 545 subjects included in the sample were collected during the months of January and February of 1995. A total of 89 (16.3%) subjects were suffering hypertension defined as systolic blood pressure > or =160 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure > or =95 mm Hg or on antihypertensive medication. Prevalence rate of hypertension was comparable to that reported from other Jordanian communities who have experienced an urban lifestyle earlier than the reference community. Logistic regression analysis indicated that hypertension was positively associated with age, illiteracy, body mass index, family history of hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. No association was detected between hypertension and each of gender, smoking, and total serum cholesterol. This study showed that the vast majority of hypertensive patients (82.0%) were aware of their diagnosis. However, more than two-thirds (68.5%) of those aware of their diagnosis did not achieve control of their hypertension. In conclusion, hypertension is a common public health problem in this community and that the hypertension management programme is far below the optimal level.
