Assessment of adverse childhood experiences, undernutrition symptoms and gender among sample of medical students in Fallujah University - Iraq: A preliminary study.

BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences is considered as major risk factor for several health problems and diseases during adulthood, such as hypertension, IHD, and eating disorders. The aim of current study was to measure the association between ACEs and malnutrition symptoms among sample of medical students in Fallujah University. METHODS: A convenience sample was used to recruit the participants; the data collection was carried out during December 2022. The questionnaire consisted from questions for demographical variables, questions for adverse childhood experiences and Short Nutritional Questionnaire was used for assessing the undernutrition symptoms among the subjects. RESULTS: Female subjects consisted 62.8% of the sample, 28.3% of the students had zero score of adverse childhood experience, 13% of the subjects had one score of ACEs and 45% of the participants had four or more of ACEs score. There was a statistically non- significant association between exposure to ACEs and undernutrition symptoms, p > .05. The logistic regression model revealed that female subjects had a risk of five folds for loss of appetite compare to male subjects (OR = 5.58, 95% CI [2.18, 14.31]). The females also had three folds for using nutritional supplement due to nutritional deficiencies compare to males (OR = 3.28, 95% CI [1.33, 8.1]). CONCLUSION: ACEs was not associated with undernutrition symptoms. Gender is significantly related with loss of appetite and using the nutritional supplement.

Self-reported substance use in Iraq: findings from the Iraqi National Household Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use, 2014.

AIMS: To estimate the prevalence of tobacco, alcohol and drug use in Iraq using data from the Iraqi National Household Survey of Alcohol and Drug Use (INHSAD). DESIGN: A cross-sectional survey was conducted using a multi-stage cluster sampling method. Trained surveyors conducted face-to-face household interviews. SETTING: Iraq, from April 2014 to December 2014. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 3200 adult, non-institutionalized Iraqi citizens residing across all 18 governorates of Iraq. MEASUREMENTS: We estimated weighted prevalence and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for life-time, past-year and past-month use of a variety of substances (tobacco, alcohol, prescription drugs and illicit drugs). For each substance, we also estimated whether individuals knew people who currently use the substance. FINDINGS: Self-reported past-month tobacco use was 23.2% (95% CI = 21.40, 25.19). Past-month alcohol use was 3.2% (95% CI = 2.58, 3.93). Women reported significantly lower prevalence for both tobacco and alcohol use compared with men (P-value < 0.01 for both). Only 1.4% (95% CI = 0.67, 3.02) reported past-month non-medical use of any prescription drugs. None of the women reported using any illicit drugs, and only 0.2% (95% CI = 0.07, 0.49) of men reported using any illicit drugs in the past month. Approximately 90.5% (95% CI = 88.58, 92.11) knew someone who uses tobacco, 42.4% (95% CI = 39.53, 45.24) knew someone who drinks alcohol, 27.9% (95% CI = 25.53, 30.45) knew someone who uses medication outside a doctor's instructions and 9.2% (95% CI = 7.87, 10.75) knew someone who uses an illicit drug. CONCLUSIONS: Psychoactive drug use is generally low in Iraq, tobacco being highest at an estimated 23.2%. Iraqi women report significantly less substance use than Iraqi men, which may be related to cultural gender norms. Discrepancy between self-report and 'knowing someone who uses a substance' suggests under-reporting in this population.

Drug and alcohol use in Iraq: findings of the inaugural Iraqi Community Epidemiological Workgroup.

BACKGROUND: Reports suggest increased use of alcohol, prescription drugs, and illicit drugs in Iraq in the past decade, which may portend an increase in substance use disorders (SUDs) and, thus, an increased need for treatments. OBJECTIVES/METHODS: To develop better information on the nature and extent of drug and alcohol use in Iraq, the Iraqi Ministry of Health, with support from the US government and technical assistance from US researchers, held an initial Iraqi Community Epidemiology Work Group meeting in May 2012 in Baghdad. Drug seizure data were the primary data source, provided by Iraqi law enforcement and customs officials. Ministry of Health officials presented data from hospitals (medical and psychiatric), outpatient clinics, and health centers, as well as from surveys of medical patients, pharmacy patients, and prisoners. RESULTS: The data suggest that the most commonly used substances are alcohol, hashish, and prescription drugs. New drugs in Iraq's drug use scene include the amphetamine-type substances "Captagon" and crystal methamphetamine, and the painkiller tramadol. Seizures of Captagon, methamphetamine, Afghan opium, teriac (a crude form of opium), and heroin at border crossings may indicate that these substances are becoming more popular. A plan for an ongoing program of CEWG meetings was developed. CONCLUSIONS: Drug and alcohol use in Iraq is increasing and new drugs are appearing in the country. An ongoing program for monitoring drug use trends and informing Iraqi policy makers is important for public health planning, including the development of strategies to identify citizens with SUDs and provide them treatment.

Birth defects in Iraq and the plausibility of environmental exposure: A review.

An increased prevalence of birth defects was allegedly reported in Iraq in the post 1991 Gulf War period, which was largely attributed to exposure to depleted uranium used in the war. This has encouraged further research on this particular topic. This paper reviews the published literature and provided evidence concerning birth defects in Iraq to elucidate possible environmental exposure. In addition to published research, this review used some direct observation of birth defects data from Al-Ramadi Maternity and Paediatric Hospital in Al-Anbar Governorate in Iraq from1st July 2000 through 30th June 2002. In addition to depleted uranium other war-related environmental factors have been studied and linked directly or indirectly with the increasing prevalence of birth defects. However, the reviewed studies and the available research evidence do not provide a clear increase in birth defects and a clear indication of a possible environmental exposure including depleted uranium although the country has been facing several environmental challenges since 1980.