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This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression and anxiety and associated risk factors among non-communicable diseases (NCD) clinic attendees in rural Rwanda.
Cross-sectional.
44 health centres in three rural districts in Rwanda.
Adults aged 18 years and older with a clinical diagnosis of diabetes, hypertension and/or asthma, who were attending a follow-up appointment during the study period (n=595).
Primary outcome measures were depression (measured by Patient Health Questionnaire-9) and anxiety (measured by Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7). Explanatory measures included sociodemographic and behavioural risk factors associated with depression and anxiety.
Of 595 participants, 265 (44.5%) had depression (95% CI: 40.5% to 48.6%) and 202 (33.9%) had anxiety (95% CI: 30.1% to 37.9%). Comorbidity of depression and anxiety was found in 137 participants (23%). Participants with no formal education had significantly higher odds of reporting depression and anxiety compared with those with primary and secondary/higher education (adjusted OR (aOR)=2.08; 95% CI=1.27 to 3.33, p=0.004, aOR=5.00; 95% CI=1.12 to 25.00, p=0.035, respectively). In addition, participants who were unemployed were more likely to report depression and anxiety (aOR=3.03; 95% CI=1.62 to 5.67, p
The overall prevalence of depression and anxiety was found to be significantly high among the study participants. The risk factors that were associated with depression and anxiety included level of education, district of residence, employment status and past trauma exposure. The findings emphasise the need for integrating mental health screening into NCD care, district-specific interventions, employment support services and trauma-focused care.
Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa, faces significant demographic transitions, with fertility rates playing a central role in shaping economic and healthcare policies. Family planning programmes face challenges due to funding limitations. The recent suspension of the US Agency for International Development funding exacerbates these issues, highlighting the need for accurate birth forecasting to guide policy and resource allocation. This study applied time-series and advanced machine-learning models to forecast future birth trends in Ethiopia.
Secondary data from the Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey from 2000 to 2019 were used. After data preprocessing steps, including data conversion, filtering, aggregation and transformation, stationarity was checked using the Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) test. Time-series decomposition was then performed, followed by time-series splitting. Seven forecasting models, including Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average, Prophet, Generalised Linear Models with Elastic Net Regularisation (GLMNET), Random Forest and Prophet-XGBoost, were built and compared. The models’ performance was evaluated using key metrics such as root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE) and R-squared value.
GLMNET emerged as the best model, explaining 77% of the variance with an RMSE of 119.01. Prophet-XGBoost performed reasonably well but struggled to capture the full complexity of the data, with a lower R-squared value of 0.32 and an RMSE of 146.87. Forecasts were made for both average monthly births and average births per woman over a 10-year horizon (2025–2034). The forecast for average monthly births indicated a gradual decline over the projection period. Meanwhile, the average births per woman showed an increasing trend but fluctuated over time, influenced by demographic shifts such as changes in fertility preferences, age structure and migration patterns.
This study demonstrates the effectiveness of combining time-series models and machine learning, with GLMNET and Prophet XGBoost emerging as the most effective. While average monthly births are expected to decline due to demographic transitions and migration, the average births per woman will remain high, reflecting persistent fertility preferences within certain subpopulations. These findings underscore the need for policies addressing both population trends and sociocultural factors.
This study aimed to assess high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) infection (HPV 16/18) and its determinants among women in East Gojjam Zone, Northwest Ethiopia.
An institutional-based cross-sectional study.
The study was conducted among 337 women screened for cervical cancer in two hospitals in East Gojjam Zone from February to April 2021 gregoriean calander.
The prevalence of HPV infection was 14.2% (95% CI: 10.7% to 18.1%). The mean age of the respondents was 36.7±9.1 years. Women in the age group of 55–65 years (adjusted OR (AOR)=7.91, 95% CI: 1.95 to 32.09), early initiation of sexual intercourse (AOR=5.36, 95% CI: 1.58 to 18.13), history of sexually transmitted infection (STI) (AOR=3.52, 95% CI: 1.27 to 9.72), HIV positive status (AOR=6.8, 95% CI: 1.99 to 23.54) and number of lifetime sexual partners (AOR=4.37, 95% CI: 1.15 to 17.3) were important independent factors associated with the presence of oncogenic HPV infection.
We found a relatively low prevalence of high-risk HPV infection. Age, early initiation of sexual intercourse at less than 18 years, history of STI, being HIV seropositive and multiple sexual partners were important factors for high-risk HPV infection. Women aged >46 years, women with early initiation of sex, a history of STI, being HIV positive and a history of multiple sexual partners should be encouraged to be screened and vaccinated for HPV infection. Wider-ranging studies are also needed in HPV-infected women in association with the cervical lesion.
The aim of this study is to analyse the prevalence and characteristics of alcohol consumption including the patterns of heavy episodic drinking, among the adult population of Kazakhstan (18–69 years old) and identify key socio-demographic and regional factors influencing alcohol use.
A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted from October 2021 to May 2022. Data were collected via face-to-face interviews using the standardised WHO STEPwise approach.
The sample included 6720 adults aged 18–69 years from all 17 regions of Kazakhstan.
Among participants, 54.1% had ever consumed alcohol, 42.5% in the past 12 months and 23.7% in the past month. Men had higher adjusted odds of alcohol consumption in the past 30 days (adjusted OR 1.57; 95% CI: 1.37 to 1.81) and heavy episodic drinking (adjusted OR 1.80; 95% CI: 1.44 to 2.24) compared with women. Younger adults (18–24 years) had lower odds of alcohol consumption (adjusted OR 0.61; 95% CI: 0.45 to 0.83) and heavy episodic drinking (adjusted OR 0.59; 95% CI: 0.37 to 0.94). Russians and Ukrainians had significantly higher adjusted odds of alcohol consumption (adjusted OR 1.48; 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.98 and OR 1.85; 95% CI: 1.14 to 3.01, respectively). Significant regional differences were found, with higher alcohol use in the northern regions and major cities. Smoking was strongly associated with alcohol consumption (adjusted OR 3.08; 95% CI: 2.65 to 3.57) and heavy episodic drinking (adjusted OR 3.72; 95% CI: 3.05 to 4.54). Education, occupation and marital status were not significant determinants.
The findings highlight the complexity of alcohol consumption patterns in Kazakhstan and the need for targeted public health interventions tailored to gender, age, ethnicity and region.
This study aimed to evaluate survival outcomes and identify key mortality predictors among patients with breast cancer in Ethiopia.
A systematic review and meta-analysis.
The study used 11 primary studies, involving a total of 4131 participants.
We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar until 7 March 2025, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.
All observational studies that had reported the survival status and/or at least one predictor of mortality of women patients with breast cancer were considered.
Three independent reviewers (HA, HKN and DGA) used a structured data extraction form to extract the data. To compute the pooled survival and mortality rates, the survival rates at different observation periods and the mortality rates reported in the included studies were extracted.
Eleven studies were analysed. All studies were of good quality based on Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. However, heterogeneity was high (I² = 98.2%, p=0.00). Funnel plots showed significant publication bias. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations assessment indicated moderate certainty for mortality rates and predictors, limited by heterogeneity and regional data gaps. The pooled mortality rate was 36% (95% CI: 25% to 46%). The survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 85% (95% CI: 75% to 96%), 66% (95% CI: 48% to 84%) and 22% (95% CI: 1% to 43%), respectively. Key mortality predictors included advanced clinical stage (Adjusted Hazard Ratio (AHR): 4.14; CI: 2.53 to 6.78), rural residence (AHR: 1.65; 95% CI: 1.27 to 2.14), positive lymph node status (AHR: 2.85; 95% CI: 1.50 to 5.44), no hormonal therapy (AHR: 2.02; 95% CI: 1.59 to 2.56), histologic grade III (AHR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.29 to 2.41), hormone receptor negativity (AHR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.05 to 2.25) and comorbidities (AHR: 2.24; 95% CI: 1.41 to 3.56).
Breast cancer in Ethiopia poses a high mortality rate primarily due to late-stage diagnosis, rural residency, histologic grade III, positive lymph node status and comorbidities. To improve survival outcomes, it is crucial to expand access to early screening, particularly in rural areas, implement comprehensive treatment protocols and strengthen healthcare infrastructure to address these critical factors.
CRD42024575074.
Measurement of tear film stability is central in dry eye disease (DED) diagnosis. In this study, we aimed to compare the performance of two methods of tear film stability measurement: non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT) and fluorescein tear film break-up time (FTBUT).
Cross-sectional study.
The study involved 132 subjects of 65-year-old inhabitants of the Oslo region who were not seeking ophthalmic care.
The participants underwent a battery of DED tests, including NIBUT measured on Oculus Keratograph 5M and a traditional method using fluorescein drops (FTBUT). Oculus Keratograph 5M measures two types of NIBUT:; appearance time of the first dry spot (NIBUTFirst) and average NIBUTAvg.
74 participants (56%) were female and 58 were male (44%). Subjects presented with varying degrees of DED signs and symptoms. Mean values of NIBUTFirst and FTBUT from all the participants were significantly different (6.2±4.9 s vs 8.6±6.2 s, pFirst and NIBUTAvg values (6.2±4.9 s vs 8.3±5.5 s, pAvg values (8.6±6.2 s vs 8.3±5.5 s, p=0.655). The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to compare NIBUT and FTBUT in regards to other clinical tests (Ocular Surface Disease Index, ocular surface staining, blink interval, eye redness, corneal sensitivity, lid debris, Schirmer I test, tear osmolarity, meibum quality, meibum expressibility, lid hyperemia, tear meniscus height. irregular lid margin, conjunctival hyperaemia, margin telangiectasia, lipid layer and meibomian gland drop-out). While FTBUT demonstrated results with area under the curve>0.6, neither NIBUTFirst nor NIBUTAvg showed significant results.
NIBUTFirst was shorter than FTBUT. Low correlation between NIBUT and FTBUT indicates that these diagnostic tests are not interchangeable. Other DED tests had correlation, though low, while NIBUT did not demonstrate correlation.
by Talgat Kutebayev, Zhanna Utaliyeva, Marina Sautenkova, Gulnara Aizhanova
ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the differences in the level and sources of work-related stress among financial professionals regarding age, work experience, and educational level.
MethodsA cross-sectional research design was employed among 702 financial professionals in Kazakhstan who worked in different corporate and government organizations. Data on work-related stress were collected via online questionnaires using the Job Stress Survey (JSS).
ResultsThe results showed that young financial professionals experienced higher stress than older professionals due to the lack of opportunity for advancement. Moreover, the study findings revealed that less experienced financial professionals reported higher levels of stress than more experienced professionals due to the meeting deadlines and conflicts with other departments. The study also found that financial professionals with a postgraduate degree stressed more than professionals with an undergraduate degree on major JSS scales. Furthermore, financial professionals with a postgraduate degree experienced higher stress due to the assignment of disagreeable duties, working overtime, lack of opportunity for advancement, inadequate support by supervisor, dealing with crisis situations, lack of recognition for good work, difficulty getting along with supervisor, insufficient personnel to adequately handle an assignment, lack of participation in policy-making decisions, inadequate salary, excessive paperwork, and covering work for another employee than professionals with undergraduate and vocational degrees.
ConclusionThe findings of this study provide valuable insights for organizations to eliminate and alleviate work-related stress.
by Amare Kassaw, Worku Necho Asferie, Molla Azmeraw, Demewoz Kefale, Gashaw Kerebih, Gebrehiwot Berie Mekonnen, Fikadie Dagnew Baye, Shegaw Zeleke, Biruk Beletew, Solomon Demis Kebede, Tigabu Munye Aytenew, Lakachew Yismaw Bazezew, Muluken Chanie Agimas
BackgroundGlobally, Tuberculosis (TB) is the main cause of morbidity and mortality among infectious disease. TB and Human Immune Virus (HIV) are the two deadly pandemics which interconnected each other tragically, and jeopardize the lives of children; particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, this review was aimed to determine the aggregated national pooled incidence of tuberculosis among HIV- infected children and its predictors in Ethiopia.
MethodsAn electronic search engine (HINARI, PubMed, Scopus, web of science), Google scholar and free Google databases were searched to find eligible studies. Quality of the studies was checked using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) quality assessment checklists for cohort studies. Heterogeneity between studies was evaluated using Cochrane Q-test and the I2 statistics.
ResultThis review revealed that the pooled national incidence of tuberculosis among children with HIV after initiation of ART was 3.63% (95% CI: 2.726–4.532) per 100-person-years observations. Being Anemic, poor and fair ART adherence, advanced WHO clinical staging, missing of cotrimoxazole and isoniazid preventing therapy, low CD4 cell count, and undernutrition were significant predictors of tuberculosis incidence.
ConclusionThe study result indicated that the incidence of TB among HIV- infected children is still high. Therefore, parents/guardians should strictly follow and adjust nutritional status of their children to boost immunity, prevent undernutrition and opportunistic infections. Cotrimoxazole and isoniazid preventive therapy need to continually provide for HIV- infected children for the sake of enhancing CD4/immune cells, reduce viral load, and prevent from advanced disease stages. Furthermore, clinicians and parents strictly follow ART adherence.
Burn survivors experience profound physiological changes following injury, which may have lasting implications for cardiovascular health. This study aims to investigate the cardiovascular risk profile among burn survivors treated at a burn center in northern Iran. This observational study was conducted from 2022 to 2023 at the burn centre affiliated with Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran. This study assessed a cohort study of 210 burn survivors, focusing on individuals with ≥20% TBSA burn injuries who had recovered and returned to their daily lives. This study assessed patients' lipid profiles, Framingham General Cardiovascular Risk Score (FGCRS) and risk factors, including demographics, clinical variables and physical activity. Statistical analysis employed descriptive and inferential statistics. The mean age was 49.23 years, and the mean TBSA burned was 37.06%. The risk of cardiovascular disease in 66% of the study population was less than 10%, and in 13%, it was more than 20%. Significant associations were identified between CVD risk and sex, diabetes, hypertension, BMI, TBSA burned, years after burn, physical activity level and LDL. Of the lipid profile measures, LDL, triglycerides and TC/HDL exceeded the desirable levels. This research highlights the heightened cardiovascular risk in burn survivors, emphasizing the necessity for targeted interventions and regular monitoring. Identifying modifiable risk factors enables healthcare practitioners to develop tailored strategies, enhancing cardiovascular health in this vulnerable population and improving overall outcomes and quality of life.
In the ongoing challenge to reduce burn-associated mortality rates, this study explores the predictive capacity of clinical factors in burn patients, focusing on vitamin D, calcium, and serum albumin levels during hospitalisation in cases with Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Our research involves a comprehensive analysis of 100 burn patients, encompassing crucial clinical parameters such as the burn severity index, serum albumin, vitamin D, and calcium levels at admission. Data were meticulously entered into IBM Statistics SPSS software version 28 and subjected to statistical analysis. The study reveals an average patient age of 39.75 years and a notable 34% mortality rate. Additionally, the average lengths of hospital and intensive care unit (ICU) stays are determined to be 11.33 and 7.79 days, respectively. Significantly, a correlation between calcium and albumin variables and treatment outcomes is established, showcasing their potential to predict variable changes in patient mortality rates. Furthermore, a noteworthy association is observed between serum calcium levels and the duration of ICU hospitalisation. In conclusion, albumin and calcium variables emerge as sensitive and specific indicators for predicting outcomes in burn patients. Importantly, the independence of these factors from the physician's experience and diagnosis reduces human error and thus increases the accuracy of mortality prediction in this patient population.
Evaluating complications and mortality risks in burn patients is crucial for effective treatment planning and improving survival rates. This study investigated the relationship between the serum vitamin D level and the clinical outcomes of adult burns patients. This was a prospective cohort of adult patients hospitalized due to thermal burns at a burn centre in the north of Iran. Based on the level of 25 hydroxyvitamin D measured upon admission, patients were divided into two groups of patients with sufficient 25 hydroxyvitamin D level and insufficient 25 hydroxyvitamin D level. Descriptive statistics were used for baseline demographics. Univariate analysis was conducted using Mann–Whitney U, Chi-square, independent samples, and Fisher's exact tests. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to adjust for the effects of confounding variables. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS 28.0 software. A total of 220 patients were included in the study. The average total body surface area burned was 30.52 ± 9.34. Patients with insufficient vitamin D levels had longer hospital stays (12.53 vs. 11.45) and longer stays in the intensive care unit (ICU) (3.32 vs. 2.40) than those with appropriate vitamin D levels. Participants with insufficient vitamin D levels exhibited a numerically higher incidence of infections than those with adequate levels (p < 0.05). The multivariate regression found that vitamin D deficiency levels were associated with increased infection rates and prolonged hospital stay. This study suggests that vitamin D deficiency is a significant risk factor for adverse clinical outcomes in burn patients. Further research is needed to confirm these associations and to explore potential interventions to optimize vitamin D status in this patient population.
Children's burns are a major public health concern due to their long-term physical, psychological, and social impacts, as well as their high financial burden. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a smartphone-based educational program on outcomes of children with severe burns. This study was designed as a double-blinded, randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the effectiveness of a developed mobile application. A total of 93 participants were included in the final analysis. The participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention or control groups. Participants in both groups received usual self-care training at discharge, but those in the intervention group used an Android-based application for 2 months. The primary goal of the burn application was scar recovery, and the secondary goals were to increase child caregivers' satisfaction rate and decrease unplanned hospital readmissions. Data collection was conducted using valid and reliable questionnaires. Data were analysed using SPSS software. The study showed that the mobile application significantly affected the frequency of patient visits to the burn clinic and the satisfaction of caregivers of children with burns with the treatment process (p-value <0.05). Also, there was a significant relationship between the duration of application use and wound healing status ((p-value <0.001). These findings suggest that smartphone-based educational programs can be valuable for optimizing care for children with severe burns. Further research is warranted to explore the long-term impact of this intervention and its potential application in different healthcare settings.
The present study investigated the antimicrobial and anti-biofilm effects of indigenous Lactobacillus probiotic strains on Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from burn wound infection in laboratory conditions. The effect of 7 probiotic strains isolated from infant faeces on the pathogenicity factors of P. aeruginosa, including protease, elastase, antibiofilm and antipyocyanin was measured. Also, diffusion methods in the well and micro broth dilution were used to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of probiotics. All tests were performed in triplicate. A negative control and a positive control were used for each test. SPSS version 22 software was used for statistical analysis, and a p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. A total of 30 clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa were isolated. The elastolytic activity of P. aeruginosa isolates decreased after adding Cell free supernatant (CFS) of each Lactobacillus. L1, L4, L5, and L6 strains had a 100% inhibitory effect on pathogen isolates. L3 and L7 strains had the lowest inhibitory effect. The inhibitory effect of CFS extracted from lactobacilli on protease production by P. aeruginosa. L1, L4, L5, and L6 strains had an inhibitory effect on all tested isolates. L2, L3, and L7 strains had a less inhibitory effect. L4 strain had the highest inhibitory effect on pyocyanin production by P. aeruginosa (50%), followed by L5 (43.3%), L1 (40%), and L6 (23.3%) strains. L3 and L7 strains had no inhibitory effect on the pyocyanin production of P. aeruginosa isolates. It was found that the CFS of 4 isolates (L1, L4, L5, and L6) was the most active extract and had a 100% inhibitory effect against biofilm formation of all P. aeruginosa strains. The L3 strain had the least inhibitory effect against the biofilm formation of pathogens. Overall, this study showed that probiotics could be promising alternatives to combat the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa in burn wounds.
In this clinical trial, we investigated the efficacy of two treatment methods for keloids resulting from surgical incisions: intralesional triamcinolone injections alone versus in combination with verapamil.
Patients were divided into two groups: one received triamcinolone alone (Group T) and the other received a triamcinolone-verapamil blend (Group VT). Regular treatments were conducted until the keloids were nearly flat or for a maximum of eight sessions.
Both groups showed significant improvements, but Group VT saw quicker resolution of skin redness and needed fewer sessions. Though the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) scores were generally similar across both groups, Group VT exhibited greater improvements, leading to lower final scores. The VT group also attained normal scar flexibility faster than the T group.
These findings suggest that the combination of verapamil and triamcinolone provides a more effective treatment for keloids, thereby highlighting the potential of verapamil in scar reduction.
Rev Enferm;39(5): 8-13, 2016 May. . [Artículo]
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