Epidemiologic study of nosocomial urinary tract infections in Saudi military hospitals.

A case-control study of patients with and without confirmed UTI was performed to identify risk factors for nosocomial UTI. Duration of hospitalization, unit of admission, history of diabetes mellitus or debilitating diseases, and duration and number of urinary catheters were independently associated with increased risk of nosocomial UTIs.

Nosocomial urinary tract infection. Risk factors, rates and trends.

OBJECTIVE: This report aims at both estimation of the rates of overall nosocomial and urinary tract infection (UTI) and their linear trends as well as studying the potential risk factors of patients admitted to Al-Hada, Rehab and Prince Sultan military hospitals and developed nosocomial UTIs (NUTIs). METHODS: A case-control study on 206 discharged patients with confirmed UTI and 618 controls without UTI was carried out between August 2001 through to July 2003 to study risk factors for nosocomial UTI as well as hospital records during the period (1998-2002) were reviewed for calculation of the overall annual nosocomial infection and nosocomial UTI rates. RESULTS: Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that duration of hospital stay, unit of admission, history of diabetes mellitus or debilitating diseases, and duration and number of urinary catheters were independently associated with increased risk of NUTIs. The mean incidence rate of overall nosocomial infection along the study period (1998-2002) was 2.82, while the mean incidence rate of UTI nosocomial infection was 0.85 per 100 discharged patients. Urinary tract infection represents approximately 31.7% of overall nosocomial infection throughout the study period. CONCLUSION: Urinary tract infections comprise approximately one third of nosocomial infections. The results, thus, indicated that to reduce the incidence of UTI nosocomial infection, it was important to take factors that can be managed into consideration. Therefore, the involved persons should pay more attention and set practical and effective guidelines for the hospital.

Emotional and behavioral problems among male Saudi schoolchildren and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: Determination of the prevalence rate of emotional or behavioral problems, or both, among male Saudi schoolchildren and identifying the possible risk factors behind these problems. METHODS: The study was conducted from March-May, 2003 and included all male schoolchildren of Al-Abnae schools specialized for the sons of the employees of the Saudi Ministry of Defense (military and civilians) in Taif Governorate, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (total number 1416 students). It was conducted through 2 phases: A screening phase (using the Child Behavior Checklist "Parent`s form") for all schoolchildren and adolescents included in the study through a cross-sectional approach to assess their emotional and behavioral problems, and a case-control phase to study risk factors. RESULTS: Among the 1313 male schoolchildren that participated in the study, 109 (8.3%) were emotionally or behaviorally disturbed students. Among studied sociodemographic variables, only educational level (intermediate versus primary) and mother`s occupation (working versus non working) was associated with a higher risk of developing emotional or behavioral disturbance. Unwanted pregnancy (odds ratio [OR]=4.77, confidence interval [CI] 3.68-5.86), history of meningitis (OR=7.50, CI 5.12-9.88), history of accidents (OR=4.07, CI 2.87-5.26) and those with history of bronchial asthma (OR=2.96, CI 2.16-3.76) had an increased risk of emotional or behavioral disturbance. CONCLUSION: The prevalence rate of behavioral and emotional disturbance according to parent`s reports is lower than that reported in other countries. Several risk factors including child, familial, and environmental risk factors play an important role in the genesis of emotional and behavioral problems in schoolchildren. Mental health problems can be recognized and treated; caring families and communities working together can help.