Quality of Life of Mothers and Fathers of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in Jordan.

Background: Parenting children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is widely identified to be associated with life-long impairment in parents' quality of life (QoL). However, there has been little information on the QoL of parents of children with ASD in the Jordanian context. Objective: This study aimed to assess the QoL among mothers and fathers who have children with ASD in Jordan and to identify factors associated with it. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, respondents were mothers and fathers of children with ASD attending autism rehabilitation centers in Amman. Data were collected from 206 participants using a validated questionnaire. Descriptive statistics, T-test, ANOVA and logistic regression, were applied. Results: Overall quality of life was low (mean= 2.32). The physical dimension scored the highest (mean =2.79), and the environmental dimension scored the lowest (mean= 2.06). Results indicated that fathers and parents with low education reported significantly lower QoL scores (p = .024 and 0.001, respectively). Conclusion: Among parents of children with ASD, parents at risk for low QoL were recognized. Our results can be utilized to design interventions to support mothers and fathers at risk in Jordan to enhance their QoL.

Determinants of breastfeeding attitudes of mothers in Jordan: A cross-sectional study.

Breastfeeding provides the optimal nutrition for an infant. However, breastfeeding practice is on decline globally. Attitude toward breastfeeding may determine the practice. This study aimed to examine postnatal mothers' attitude to breastfeeding and its determinants. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and data on attitude were collected using the Iowa Infant Feeding Attitude Scale (IIFAS). A convenience sample of 301 postnatal women were recruited from a major referral hospital in Jordan. Data on sociodemographic characteristics, pregnancy and delivery outcomes were collected. SPSS was used to analyze the data and identify the determinants of attitudes to breastfeeding. The mean total attitude score for participants was 65.0 ±7.15, which is close to the upper limit of the neutral attitude range. Factors associated with attitude that is positive to breastfeeding were high income (p = 0.048), pregnancy complications (p = 0.049), delivery complications (p = 0.008), prematurity (p = 0.042), intention to breastfeed (p = 0.002) and willingness to breastfeed (p = 0.005). With binary logistic regression modelling, determinants of attitude positive to breastfeeding were highest income level and willingness to breastfeed exclusively (OR = 14.77, 95%CI = 2.25-99.64 and OR = 3.41, 95%CI = 1.35-8.63 respectively). We conclude that mothers in Jordan have neutral attitude to breastfeeding. Breastfeeding promotion programs and initiatives should target low-income mothers and the general population. Policymakers and health care professionals can use the results of this study to encourage breastfeeding and improve breastfeeding rate in Jordan.

Vitamin D Levels in Children with Recurrent Acute Tonsillitis in Jordan: A Case-Control Study.

Background: Vitamin D is essential for many functions of the body. In addition to its primary function of regulating the absorption of calcium in the small intestine, its role in the immune system has recently been studied. The current study aimed to test the impact of vitamin D deficiency on the rate of recurrent acute tonsillitis in children. Methods: According to Paradise criteria, two hundred forty-two children with recurrent acute tonsillitis were recruited. A group of healthy children (n = 262) was also recruited as controls. Poisson regression was run to predict the number of tonsillitis episodes per year based on vitamin D levels. The mean vitamin D level in the study group was lower than in the control group (p < 0.0001). Poisson regression of the rate of recurrent tonsillitis and vitamin D level (OR = 0.969 (95% CI, 0.962−0.975)) showed that for every single unit increase in vitamin D level, there was a 3.1% decrease in the number of tonsillitis episodes per year (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with higher rates of recurrent acute tonsillitis. Future controlled trials should investigate the role of vitamin D supplementation in reducing the rate of recurrent tonsillitis.

Patterns of antibiotic prescribing and appropriateness for respiratory tract infections in a teaching hospital in Jordan.

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate use of antibiotics is a public health concern that promotes antibiotic resistance globally. This study aimed to investigate the patterns of antibiotic prescribing for respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in Jordan to encourage judicious antibiotic prescribing. METHODS: The researchers conducted a retrospective secondary analysis of oral antibiotics prescribed in the family medicine clinics in a teaching university hospital in Jordan in 2017. Antibiotic prescribing rates and the types of antibiotics prescribed were analysed. Patients' age, gender, type of insurance, and the RTIs diagnosis were investigated as possible factors that could be associated with inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for RTIs. RESULTS: Our findings revealed that 20 133 prescriptions, (27.3%) of all the prescriptions issued in the family medicine clinics included an antibiotic. Penicillins accounted for 52.7% of all the antibiotics prescribed, followed by macrolides (21.6%) and cephalosporins (16.4%). The most common indication for prescribing the antibiotics was RTIs (51.1%). The majority of antibiotics prescribed for respiratory diagnosis were for upper RTIs (URTI) (61.5%), followed by otitis media (16.9%) and tonsillitis (15.4%). Only 28.8% of all the antibiotics prescribed were appropriate and indicated. Older patients were significantly more likely to be prescribed an antibiotic compared to the younger (P < .001). Also, hospital employees and university employees were significantly more likely to be prescribed an antibiotic compared to the Ministry of Health employees (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Antibiotics were inappropriately prescribed, and their prescribing rate was high in the outpatient setting in the family medicine clinics studied in Jordan. This calls for policy-level interventions to promote judicious antibiotic prescribing to minimise the avoidable burden of microbial resistance and unnecessary expenditure.

Knowledge and Attitudes Toward Mandatory Premarital Screening Among University Students in North Jordan.

A mandatory National Premarital Thalassemia Screening Program was implemented in Jordan in 2004. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the knowledge and attitudes of university students in North Jordan toward this program. Data was collected from 542 students from four universities (two public and two private universities) located in North Jordan, using a structured questionnaire. Results of t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that while respondents had adequate knowledge of and positive attitudes toward the premarital screening program, there was still a lack of knowledge about the disease itself. Nearly half the respondents were under the impression that ß-thalassemia (ß-thal) is a disease that can be treated simply. One-third of the respondents believed that if both partners were carriers of ß-thal they should proceed with marriage. Negative attitude was revealed when many respondents believed that diagnosing a family member as a carrier affects other family members' future marriage opportunities. Significant associations were detected between the knowledge scores and gender, urban/rural residence, and the university where the students were enrolled. Students in private universities showed significantly lower attitude scores. Consideration of prenatal diagnostic services as part of a ß-thal prevention program is necessary. It would also be helpful to include information about ß-thal as a preventable inherited illness with a severe debilitating impact on the family in the high school curriculum. There is also a need for social marketing of the program.

Knowledge and Perceptions about Colorectal Cancer in Jordan.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer globally. In Jordan, it is the number one cancer among men and the second most common cancer among women, accounting for 15% and 9.4% respectively of all male and female diagnosed cancers. This study aimed to evaluate the knowledge and perceptions about colorectal cancer risk factors, signs and symptoms in Jordan and to provide useful data about the best modes of disseminating preventive messages about the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A stratified clustered random sampling technique was used to recruit 300 males and 300 females aged 30 to 65 years without a previous history of CRC from four governorates in Jordan. A semi-structured questionnaire and face to face interviews were employed. Descriptive and multivariate analysis was applied to assess knowledge and perceptions about CRC. RESULTS: Both males and females perceived their CRC risk to be low. They had low knowledge scores about CRC with no significant gender association (P= 0.47). From a maximum knowledge score of 18 points, the median scores of males and females were 4 points (SD = 2.346, range 0-13) and 4 points (SD= 2.329, range 0-11) respectively. Better knowledge scores were associated with governorate, higher educational level, older age, higher income, having a chronic disease, having a family history of CRC, previously knowing someone who had CRC and their doctor's knowledge about their family history of CRC. CONCLUSIONS: There is a low level of knowledge about CRC and underestimation of risk among the study participants. This underlines the need for public health interventions to create awareness about the illness. It also calls for further research to assess the knowledge and perceptions about CRC early detection examinations in Jordan.