Global school-based student health survey: country profiles and survey results in the eastern Mediterranean region countries.

BACKGROUND: The increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) has some major implications on many countries to achieve universal health coverage. This study aimed to investigate the implementation of Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), which is used to assess the risk factors of NCDs among children and adolescents in the eastern Mediterranean region (EMR). METHODS: This study was a meta-analysis and systematic literature review of 2001-2018 published studies, which were found by searching PubMed, Google Scholar, WHO, and CDC databases. In this study, the target group was students aged between 13 and 17 years old. GSHS implementation as well as risk factors of NCDs were compared across different countries. The random-effect model for meta-analysis was considered at 95% confidence interval. RESULT: In the EMR, 19 countries have implemented GSHS at least once following the survey manual (37 surveys). Overall, 201,795 students were included in our analysis. The overall estimation prevalence rateof the overweight was 24.5% (20.6-28.8), obesity was 7.3% (5.4-9.5), insufficient physical activity was 82.4% (80.7-84.1), tobacco usage was 14.3% (10.53-18.67), and smoking was 9.6% (8.1-11.3), respectively. Among those aged 13 to 17 years old, these rates were estimated as 19.8 (13.2-27.3), 9.7 (6.2-14.0), 86.1 (84.1-87.9), 17.8 (11.8-24.7), and 11.5 (9.4-13.8), respectively. CONCLUSION: GSHS has been widely implemented across EMR countries. Using nationally representative data, the results show that more efforts are needed to target the NCDs risk factors among adolescents in the region.

Colonoscopy Complications in an Iranian Teaching Hospital.

BACKGROUND: Colonoscopy is generally a safe procedure with a limited number of adverse events. Few studies have addressed the rate of adverse events in teaching hospitals. This study aimed to investigate the rate of complications after colonoscopy performed by gastroenterology fellows in a teaching hospital in Tehran. METHODS: A historical cohort study was carried out to link the colonoscopy reports and the hospital information system to identify serious adverse events leading to unplanned hospitalization, unplanned procedures or interventions (e.g. surgery), prolongation of existing hospitalization, or death within 30 days after colonoscopy. RESULTS: We included 9928 colonoscopies (mean age of the patients 53.0±15.9 years, 52.3% men) in this study. In-hospital patients comprised (34.8%) of the procedures. The indications of colonoscopy included 7137 diagnostic (71.9%), and 2519 screening (25.4%) reasons. Colorectal polyps were found in 2005 (20.2%) patients. Major complications were seen in 17 patients (0.2%), including serious bleeding in seven patients, cardiopulmonary complications in five patients, perforation in four patients, and sepsis in one patient. CONCLUSION: Serious adverse events after colonoscopy are relatively rare. The rate of complications does not appear to be higher in an academic teaching hospital when performed by fellows under supervision.