FAIR reporting of clinical trials for public health practice.

The number of clinical trials is rapidly growing, and automation of literature processing is becoming desirable but unresolved. Our purpose was to assess and increase the readiness of clinical trial reports for supporting automated retrieval and implementation in public health practice. We searched the Medline database for a random sample of clinical trials of HIV/AIDS management with likely relevance to public health in Africa. Five authors assessed trial reports for inclusion, extracted data, and assessed quality based on the FAIR principles of scientific data management (findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable). Subsequently, we categorized reported results in terms of outcomes and essentials of implementation. A sample of 96 trial reports was selected. Information about the tested intervention that is essential for practical implementation was largely missing, including personnel resources needed 32·3% (.95 CI: 22·9-41·6); material/supplies needed 33·3% (.95 CI: 23·9-42·8); major equipment/building investment 42·8% (CI: 33·8-53·7); methods of educating providers 53·1% (CI: 43·1-63·4); and methods of educating the community 27·1% (CI: 18·2-36·0). Overall, 65% of studies measured health/biologic outcomes, among them, only a fraction showed any positive effects. Several specific design elements were identified that frequently make clinical trials unreal and their results unusable. To sort and interpret clinical trial results easier and faster, a new reporting structure, a practice- and retrieval-oriented trial outline with numeric outcomes (PROTON) table was developed and illustrated. Many clinical trials are either inconsequential by design or report incomprehensible results. According to the latest expectations of FAIR scientific data management, all clinical trial reports should include a consistent and practical impact-oriented table of clinical trial results.

Prevalence and associated factors of domestic violence among women attending primary healthcare centres in Kuwait: A cross-sectional study.

Domestic violence (DV) against women is a global problem. Its prevalence varies from region to region. Almost one-third of women are victims of DV worldwide. Various forms of violence against women have been identified, including physical, sexual, psychological, economic violence, and husband-controlling behaviour. The study was designed to estimate the prevalence of different types of DV among women attending primary healthcare (PHC) centres in Kuwait. We conducted a multicentre crosssectional study among married or previously married women aged 18 to 65 years, attending the selected PHC centres over 29 months (February 2017 to June 2019). The inclusion criteria were married or previously married women aged 18-65 years, while certain groups such as never-married females, severely ill individuals, and those refusing to participate were excluded. 337 A comprehensive questionnaire covering the general characteristics of the participating women, exposure to different types of domestic violence, family characteristics, and husband characteristics. 337 women (56.1%) out of 601 were exposed to one or more types of DV. By type of violence, 255 women (42.4%) were exposed to psychological violence, 211 (35.1%) were exposed to physical violence, 173 (28.8%) were exposed to sexual violence, and 249 (41.4%) were exposed to economic violence. Having controlling behaviours was a significant predictor of exposure to all types of DV (P-value < 0.001). DV is a hidden problem that is still under-reported in Kuwait. We conclude that health professionals in different healthcare settings in Kuwait should be encouraged to document DV cases and conduct comprehensive surveys to disclose the nature and extent of the problem.

La violence domestique (VF) contre les femmes est un problème mondial. Sa prévalence varie d'une région à l'autre. Près d'un tiers des femmes sont victimes de violence domestique dans le monde. Diverses formes de violence contre les femmes ont été identifiées, notamment la violence physique, sexuelle, psychologique, économique et le comportement de contrôle du mari. L'étude a été conçue pour estimer la prévalence de différents types de DV parmi les femmes fréquentant les centres de soins de santé primaires (SSP) au Koweït. Nous avons mené une étude transversale multicentrique auprès de femmes mariées ou déjà mariées âgées de 18 à 65 ans, fréquentant les centres de SSP sélectionnés pendant 29 mois (février 2017 à juin 2019). Les critères d'inclusion étaient les femmes mariées ou déjà mariées âgées de 18 à 65 ans, tandis que certains groupes tels que les femmes jamais mariées, les personnes gravement malades et celles refusant de participer ont été exclus. 337 Un questionnaire complet couvrant les caractéristiques générales des femmes participantes, l'exposition à différents types de violence domestique, les caractéristiques familiales et les caractéristiques du mari. 337 femmes (56,1%) sur 601 ont été exposées à un ou plusieurs types de DV. Par type de violence, 255 femmes (42,4%) ont été exposées à des violences psychologiques, 211 (35,1%) ont été exposées à des violences physiques, 173 (28,8%) ont été exposées à des violences sexuelles et 249 (41,4%) ont été exposées à des violences économiques. . Avoir des comportements de contrôle était un prédicteur significatif de l'exposition à tous les types de DV (valeur P <0,001). La VD est un problème caché qui est encore sous-estimé au Koweït. Nous concluons que les professionnels de la santé des différents établissements de soins au Koweït devraient être encouragés à documenter les cas de VD et à mener des enquêtes approfondies pour révéler la nature et l'étendue du problème.

Selected infectious disease disasters for nursing staff training at Egyptian Eastern Border.

Infectious disease disasters are events that involve a biological agent, disease and that result in mass casualties, such as a bioterrorism attack, an emerging outbreak of infectious disease; all disasters pose a risk of infection transmission. But, infectious disease disasters pose the great-risk to illness or death from an infectious disease. This study raised the awareness and improved knowledge by educational program for Military Nursing Staff on selected infectious disease disasters acquired at Egyptian Eastern Border. The selected arthropod-borne diseases were Anthrax, Tick borne relapsing, Louse borne replasing fever and liver fluke; Clonorchis sinensis. An interventional study was used, for 125 staff nurse who accepted to participate. The tools dealt with four questionnaires: (1) Some sociodemographic characteristics data (2) Educational needs assessment a structured questionnaire. (3) Knowledge test (pre/post-test) and (4) Participants' reactions questionnaire. The results showed that educational intervention significantly improvements the nursing staff knowledge, which were achieved at the immediate post intervention phase, and retained via three months post-test phase. In the service training programs about infectious disease disasters at Egyptian Eastern Border must be established and continued on regular basis. This would improve their knowledge about the epidemiology of these infectious disease disasters.

Evaluation of BreastLight as a tool for early detection of breast lesions among females attending National Cancer Institute, Cairo University.

BACKGROUND: Breast illumination was suggested as a simple method for breast cancer screening. BreastLight is a simple apparatus for this purpose. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the diagnostic performance of BreastLight as a screening tool of breast cancer in comparison to mammography and histopathology. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This hospital-based cross sectional study was conducted in the mammography unit of the radiodiagnosis department at National Cancer Institute, Cairo University. All participants were subjected to breast examination with the BreastLight tool, mammography and ultrasonography. Suspicious cases were biopsied for histopathological examination which is considered as a gold standard. RESULTS: The mean age of the participants was 46.3±12.4 years. Breast illumination method had sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and total accuracy of 93.0%, 73.7%, 91.4%, 77.8% and 88.2%, respectively in detection of breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Breast illumination method with BreastLight apparatus is a promising easy-to-use tool to screen for breast cancer suitable for primary health care physician or at-home use. It needs further evaluation especially in asymptomatic women.

Implementation, barriers and challenges of smoke-free policies in hospitals in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Tobacco use is a serious public health challenge in North Africa, and health professionals play a vital role in tobacco control. In Egypt, limited data are available on the knowledge and attitudes of health care providers regarding tobacco control policies. Such data are especially relevant due to Egypt's tobacco control laws, adopted in 2007, prohibiting smoking in hospitals and other public places. This study surveyed 49 senior administrative staff, 267 physicians, 254 nurses, and 109 administrative employees working in El-Kasr El-Aini Hospital in Cairo, assessing their knowledge and attitudes regarding Egypt's tobacco control laws and barriers to their effective implementation in health care facilities. We also investigated the hospital's compliance with smoke-free policies. RESULTS: The majority (>90%) of the hospital workers knew that exposure to second-hand smoke is harmful to health. Physicians and nurses had a more favorable attitude towards the smoking ban when compared to administrative employees. Hospital staff identified the following barriers to successfully implementing the smoking ban: lax enforcement of tobacco control laws, the lack of penalties for violators, the lack of cessation programs, and the prevalence of smoking among physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, smoke-free policies were poorly enforced in this large teaching hospital in Cairo, Egypt. Interventions to address the identified barriers to their implementation could include the provision of cessation training and services as well as effective communication programs to educate health care workers at all levels regarding the dangers of second-hand smoke exposure and effective measures for protection.

Louse and tick borne relapsing fevers.

Relapsing fever, caused by spirochaetes belonging to the genus Borrelia, was once the cause of worldwide epidemic zoonotic disease. This was largely through infection with the louse-borne form of the disease, caused by Borrelia recurrentis [(louse-borne relapsing fever (LBRF)]. Another form of replasing fever is caused by Borrelia duttonii [(tick-borne relapsing fever (TBRF)]. The introduction and the wide use of DDT in the last century, which is forbidden now, the incidence and prevalence of both LBRF and TBRF markedly decreased. However, with the increase of rapid transportation, crowdedness and poverty, as well as abundance of lice and ticks, replasing fever is still endemic to some countries. Besides, with the appearance of others closely related Borrelia species that begins to emerge, the threat or the burden of these arthropod-borne zoonotic may be unpredicted or underestimated.

Comparison of cigarette and water pipe smoking among female university students in Egypt.

This study investigated behavioral and sociodemographic factors associated with tobacco use among female university students patronizing water pipe cafes in Cairo, Egypt. We interviewed two groups of female university student smokers (100 and 96 students from a public and a private university, respectively). The interviews took place in nine water pipe cafes near the two universities. A logistic regression model was developed to analyze the relationship between tobacco-related knowledge and beliefs and the choice between smoking water pipe or cigarettes. Among these smokers, 27% smoked cigarettes only, 37.8% smoked water pipe only, and 35.2% smoked both types of tobacco. Most of the water pipe smokers (74.1%) preferred this method because they believe it to be less harmful than smoking cigarettes. More than half of the subjects were encouraged to start smoking by other females (56.6%). Curiosity was a significant factor for initiation (OR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.3-6.2, p<.01). We found no significant differences between water pipe and cigarette smokers regarding current age, age at initiation, quit attempts, knowledge about the hazards of smoking, wanting to be fashionable, or smoking with friends. About one in four (23.7%) attempted to quit, with health cited as a major reason. An urgent need exists for correction of the misperception among this study population that water pipe smoking is safe and less harmful than cigarette smoking.

Associations of pesticides, HCV, HBV, and hepatocellular carcinoma in Egypt.

The rate of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing in Egypt where the major risk factors are chronic infections with hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV). A major segment of the population is employed in agriculture, raising the possibility that exposure to pesticides is an additional risk factor for HCC. The objective of this study is to investigate pesticides as environmental risk factors for HCC while taking into account viral risk factors. We conducted a case-control study of 236 subjects with confirmed HCC recruited from the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Egypt, and 236 controls matched on sex, age group and urban-rural status recruited from orthopedic department, Cairo University Hospital, Egypt. Patients who agreed to participate signed a consent form, answered a questionnaire and gave a blood sample for hepatitis virus testing. The manuals of the Ministry of Agriculture for approved use and type of pesticides since 1965 were linked to the questionnaire data for types of crops and pests that the subject had to combat, to attribute specific pesticides that were used by each subject. Subjects also reported duration of the exposure (years). Case-control comparisons in these data were stratified by sex, age group, and urban vs. rural residence. Data were analyzed using unconditional logistic regression models adjusting for age, HCV RNA, and current hepatitis B infection. Among rural males, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) for organophosphorus compounds was 2.7 (95% CI = 1.3-5.3) and for carbamates it was 2.9 (95% CI = 1.4-5.8). No statistically significant associations between HCC and pesticides were observed for urban males or for females. As expected, the strongest risk factors for HCC in this study were HCV RNA (OR = 16-17) and current HBV infection (OR = 27-28). This study therefore suggests that exposures to organophophorus and carbamate pesticides are additive risk factors to current HCV and HBV infection among rural males. Future investigation should address the possible hepatocarcinogenicity of pesticides using biomarkers of exposure and other techniques to better estimate dose-response relationships.