World Health Organization Reports Research Articles

Contemporary Approaches to Wound Burn Healing

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that over 11 million individuals get burns annually, resulting in 180,000 fatalities. A burn is a condition resulting by heat, chemical agents, electrical currents, or other forces that inflict tissue damage. Burns primarily impact the skin, however they may also include deeper structures, including bones and muscles. Upon combustion, the skin forfeits its primary functions, including protection against the external environment, infections, moisture evaporation, and thermal regulation. Based on the burn's stage, the patient's health, and the burn's etiology, it is essential to choose the most suitable therapy. Personalization and interdisciplinary teamwork are essential for the effective therapy of burn victims. This thorough study compiles and examines the existing treatment modalities, emphasizing current advancements in topical therapies, wound debridement, dressings, skin grafting, nutritional support, pain management, and scar tissue therapy.

The effect of nutrition education based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) on food intake in pregnant Afghan immigrant women: a semi-experimental study

BackgroundAccording to the World Health Organization report, immigrants are at increased risk of malnutrition. Nutritional deficiencies in pregnancy are a public health concern and around 20 to 30 percent of pregnant women suffer from it worldwide. There has not been any investigation about the effect of any intervention on improving nutritional intake in pregnant Afghan immigrant women. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of nutrition education based on the Health Belief Model (HBM) on food intake in pregnant Afghan immigrant women.MethodsA semi-experimental study study was conducted on 116 Afghan immigrant pregnant women who have the inclusion criteria, were referred to health center No. 2 in Mashhad, Iran in June 2022 until February 2023, and were randomly assigned to the intervention (56) and control (56) groups. The demographic, HBM questionnaire and the standard 24-h food reminder questionnaire were the research tools. The intervention consisted of four sessions of 45–60 min of nutrition education based on the Health Belief Model in groups of 8–10 people. The questionnaires were completed before, immediately, and one month after the intervention by the research units. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 21 software.ResultsThe intake of energy, protein, carbohydrates, and micronutrients such as iron, calcium, zinc, and vitamin D increased in the intervention group immediately and one month after the intervention significantly compared to before the intervention (P < 0.05). Although all these nutrients intake had a significant decrease in control group women (P < 0.05).ConclusionsNutrition education based on the health belief model is effective in the nutritional intake of Afghan immigrant pregnant women. According to the importance of getting enough nutrients in pregnancy and its effects on the mother and fetus’s health, nutrition education based on the Health Belief Model model is suggested for these mothers.Trial registrationIt is registered in the Iranian clinical trials database under the code: IRCT20220629055312N1, Date of first registration: 25/07/2022.

The Application of Ficus Species in the Treatment of Neurological Disorders

Background Neurological diseases represent a pressing global health concern; the World Health Organization reports that neurological conditions rank as the second leading cause of death worldwide. In the last quarter century, we have witnessed a remarkable 36% surge in global neurological mortality rates. Several factors, including oxidative stress, genetic variability, natural aging process, inflammation, hypertension, diabetes, infections, vitamin deficiencies, metabolic imbalances, chemical exposures, endocrine disorders, and dietary supplements, are implicated in the initiation and progression of various neurological diseases. Purpose This comprehensive review aims to shed light on the neuroprotective attributes of distinct Ficus and their phytoconstituents that have been harnessed for treating neurological diseases and demonstrating neuroprotective effects. Methods A literature search was conducted to obtain information about the study of neurological disease and their treatment using database and search engine like Google Scholar, Research gate, monograph, reference book, SciFinder, PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Science Direct. Results Ficus species have exhibited remarkable neuroprotective qualities through various mechanisms of action. Moreover, these plants contain a diversity of bioactive such as flavonoids, polyphenols, terpenoids, tannins, alkaloids, glycosides, sterols, and vitamins that proven effective in enhancing memory, reducing anxiety, increasing neurotransmitter levels, mitigating neurodegeneration, and playing pivotal roles in neuroprotection. Conclusion This review consolidates the promising potential of Ficus species in the treatment of neurological diseases, paving the way for future scientific research in the development of novel herbal neuroprotective medications.

Obesity in childhood - literature review and educational recommendations

Introduction and purpose Childhood obesity is a major global health concern. The World Health Organization reports that the prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents has increased significantly from 4% in 1975 to over 18% in 2016. The aim of the study is to conduct a comprehensive review of the literature on obesity among children and adolescents, emphasizes the importance of prevention, identification and effective management of childhood obesity. Materials and methods An extensive examination of articles published in scientific journals was carried out through online research platforms PubMed and Google Scholar. We searched articles by entering keywords in appropriate configuration: “childhood obesity”, “pediatric overweight”, “physical activity”, “activity and health”, “diet and obesity", "bariatric surgery" and "obesity medication". State of knowledge Treating childhood obesity requires following a personalized weight loss program, as well as adopting healthy eating habits and lifestyle practices. Improvements in metabolic and anthropometric indices can be achieved through complex interventions including dietary modification and physical activity, behavioral therapy, health promotion education, pharmacological treatment and bariatric surgery A step-by-step approach to managing weight is recommended, considering the child's age, the severity of obesity, and any accompanying health conditions. Dietary interventions focus on promoting a balanced, nutrient-rich diet that is calorie-appropriate for the child's age and gender. Summary Further research is still necessary to develop additional pharmaceutical options, refine surgical techniques, and better understand long-term outcomes in this patient population.To effectively prevent this disease, a comprehensive approach is necessary, considering both education and changes in the social environment.

A Study to Assess the Effectiveness of Educational Package in Terms of Knowledge Regarding Essential New Born Care among Mother in the Postnatal Wards of Selected Hospital, Nadiad

BACKGROUND: The neonatal period, covering the first 28 days of life is a vital stage marked by significant physiological changes and the new borns adjustment to the crucial for the baby’s survival and long term health. Proper new born care is essential in decreasing neonatal illness and death promoting healthy growth and development. Worldwide neonatal mortality is a major public issue, especially in low and middle income nations. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that nearly 2.4 million children die within their first month of life annually, with most of these deaths happening within the first week. Infection are a leading cause of neonatal mortality, responsible for about one-third all neonatal deaths. New born are practically vulnerable to infection due to their underdeveloped immune system. Education on essential new-born care, covering aspects like infection prevention, breastfeeding thermal care, and immunization, plays a critical role in decreasing these fatalities. Postnatal wards offer a special chances to educate mothers about essential new-born care. During this period mothers are typically more open to learning and incorporating new practice that can benefit their infants. Tailored educational programs designed for postnatal mothers of essential new-born care practice and encourage their adoption. AIM This study assess the effectiveness of an educational package design to enhance mothers' knowledge regarding essential new born care in selected hospital in Nadiad. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the impact of an educational package on mothers' knowledge about essential new born care in post natal wards. METHODS A quasi experimental study design was employed. The study include 40 mothers in post natal wards from selected hospital in Nadiad. Participants were divided into two groups: An experimental group receiving the educational package and a control group receiving standard care. Pre-test and post- test knowledge assessments were conducted using a structured questionnaire. INTERVENTION: The educational package comprised informative flip book interactive session focus on essential new born care such as breast feeding, hygiene, immunization and recognizing dangerous sign.RESULTS: The pre-test knowledge scores of both groups were comparable. Post intervention, the group showed a significant increase on knowledge scores compared to the pre- test. Statistical analysis using paired T test revealed that the educational package effectively improved mother’s knowledge of essential new born care (p&lt; 0.05). The educational package significantly enhanced mother’s knowledge regarding essential new born care in post natal wards. Implementing such educational interventions can improve new born health outcomes by empowering mothers which crucial care. Further studies are recommended to assess long term retention of knowledge and its impact on new born health.

Unraveling TRPV1's Role in Cancer: Expression, Modulation, and Therapeutic Opportunities with Capsaicin.

Cancer is a global health challenge with rising incidence and mortality rates, posing significant concerns. The World Health Organization reports cancer as a leading cause of death worldwide, contributing to nearly one in six deaths. Cancer pathogenesis involves disruptions in cellular signaling pathways, resulting in uncontrolled cell growth and metastasis. Among emerging players in cancer biology, Transient Receptor Potential (TRP) channels, notably TRPV1, have garnered attention due to their altered expression in cancer cells and roles in tumorigenesis and progression. TRPV1, also known as the capsaicin receptor, is pivotal in cancer cell death and pain mediation, offering promise as a therapeutic target. Activation of TRPV1 triggers calcium influx and affects cell signaling linked to growth and death. Additionally, TRPV1 is implicated in cancer-induced pain and chemo-sensitivity, with upregulation observed in sensory neurons innervating oral cancers. Also, when capsaicin, a compound from chili peppers, interacts with TRPV1, it elicits a "hot" sensation and influences cancer processes through calcium influx. Understanding TRPV1's multifaceted roles in cancer may lead to novel therapeutic strategies for managing cancer-related symptoms and improving patient outcomes. The current review elucidates the comprehensive role of capsaicin in cancer therapy, particularly through the TRPV1 channel, highlighting its effects in various cells via different signaling pathways and discussing its limitations.

Assessment and Association of the World Health Organization’s Five Keys to Food Safety Among Selected Food Truck Operators Demographic in Jeddah City

The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that food handlers play a significant role in the maintenance of food safety from food production to storage. This study aims to assess the implementation of WHO five keys to safer food in the food trucks in Jeddah city. This study was an observational study. A total of 103 registered and licensed food trucks in Jeddah were selected using the opportunity sampling method. The WHO’s five keys to safer food questionnaire was used by the researchers to inspect and evaluate the hygiene status of food trucks. A chi-square test was used to assess the association between the demographic characteristics of food truck handlers and the implementation of the variables used to evaluate WHO’s five keys to safer food in their food trucks. P value < 0.05 was considered significant. The participation rate was 64.4% (103/160). Most food truck handlers were older than 30 years (55.3%), were men (81.6%), had secondary-level education (40.8%), and were Saudi nationals (69.9%). More than 50% of food truck handlers had less than three years of experience in business, and 67% of food truck handlers had undergone training in food handling. The researchers found good implementation of Key 5c. – “Water from cans/bottles used for cooking” (93.2%), followed by Key 1a. “Cleaning and disinfecting done periodically” (78.6%), and poor implementation for Key 3a. – “Calibrated thermometers are used to check temperatures” (30.1%) in the food trucks. The overall implementation score of WHO’s five keys to safer food was found to be good (score ≥ 8) in 57.3% of food trucks. Food handlers’ age, gender, and training in food handling indicated a significant association with the implementation of WHO’s five keys to safer food. The exposure of food handlers to food handling training indicated a significant association with good implementation of all five keys to safer food.

Seizures and Epilepsy: An Overview for UK Medical Students.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disorderimpacting millions globally, marked by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. This review article, tailored for UK medical students, provides a broad clinical overview of epilepsy, focusing on its pathophysiology, classification, and management strategies. The article clarifies the distinction between epilepsy and seizures and delves into key areas, including risk factors, clinical features, and differential diagnosis. The discussion extends to diagnostic methods, underscoring the importance of conducting a thorough evaluation in diagnosing and managing epilepsy effectively. Data were drawn from the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, World Health Organization (WHO) reports, and key peer-reviewed studies. Particular attention was given to UK-specific data on epilepsy incidence, treatment gaps, and clinical outcomes. A review of relevant literature was conducted, covering epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic protocols, and management strategies based on UK practices. Finally, the article addresses the acute management of seizures and the pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of epilepsy based on the NICE guidelines. The goal is to offer medical students a concise yet comprehensive understanding of epilepsy, preparing them for practical, evidence-based decision-making in clinical practice.

Heart Disease Early Prediction Using Machine Learning Approaches

According to the recent WHO (World Health Organization) report, heart diseases are becoming more prevalent. This causes the results in death of 17.9 million individuals every year. It becomes more difficult to detect and begin therapy at an early stage as the population grows. As a result of recent technological advancements with machine learning approaches have speed up the health sector by several researches. The goal of this particular approach is used to develop the machine learning model for early prediction of heart disease using the relevant parameters which this work has taken. The Cleveland dataset has been taken for UCI (University of California Irvine machine learning repository) heart disease prediction, which includes 14 different major parameters for analysis. The development of the model has made use of machine learning methods includes, Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), K-Nearest Neighbour (KNN), and Decision Tree (DT). With the use of these conventional machine learning techniques, this work has attempted to identify correlations between the various features present in the dataset with the purpose of effectively predicting early heart disease with maximum accuracy. The suggested approach depicts the outcomes of the three algorithms namely, SVM, Random Forest, and Decision Tree. This present work has integrated all three methods to determine whether the patient is having possibility of heart disease or not. Through that this approach has given 89% accuracy at the end. Keywords: SVM; Naive Bayes; Decision Tree; Random Forest; Logistic Regression; Adaboost; XG-boost; python programming; confusion matrix; correlation matrix

AYURVEDIC MANAGEMENT OF KSHEENA SHUKRA (OLIGOSPERMIA) LEAD-ING TO MALE INFERTILITY: A CASE STUDY

As per the World Health Organization (WHO) report in India, the overall prevalence of primary infertility ranges between 3.9 and 16.8%. A recent report on the status of infertility states that 50% of it is related to productive anomalies or disorders in males. In comparison, 90% of male infertility problems are related to Oligospermia and other abnormalities in semen analysis. As per Ayurveda, Oligospermia can be considered as Ksheena Shukra (Oligospermia). Surgery, Hormone treatments, medications and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) are the main lines of treatment in Conventional medicine, but these are associated with many unwanted and severe adverse effects. The present case discussion is about effectively managing a case diagnosed as Ksheena Shukra with Ayurvedic intervention. This case report aims to evaluate the effect of Ayurvedic treatment in managing Ksheena Shukra. In this case study, Shodhana (Purificatory Therapy) procedures {especially Virechana Karma (Purgation) and Vasti(Enema)} were performed before administering Rasayana (Rejuvenation) drugs; the pre- and postsemen analysis during the treatment period shows a marked increase in sperm count and motility. The outcome of this case reveals that Ayurvedic treatments can effectively manage the Oligospermia associated with male infertility.

Gambaran Kepatuhan Ibu Hamil dalam Mengonsumsi Tablet Fe Terhadap Kejadian Anemia di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Sadananya

Anemia is a concerning condition for pregnant women. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that the prevalence of anemia among pregnant women is around 35-37%, and this increases with the progression of pregnancy. Nutritional iron deficiency anemia tends to be more prevalent in developing countries than in developed ones. The incidence rate of anemia in Ciamis Regency, based on the health profile of the regency, is 20.05%. This study aims to depict the compliance of pregnant mothers in consuming iron (Fe) tablets concerning the occurrence of anemia in the working area of Sadananya Community Health Center in 2020. The research design employed in this study is descriptive research. The population consists of all pregnant mothers with anemia during pregnancy in the working area of Sadananya Community Health Center, Ciamis Regency, amounting to 723 individuals in the year 2020. Cluster Sampling technique was used for sample selection. The analysis conducted in this study is univariate. The research results revealed that almost all respondents, totaling 67 individuals (84.4%), were non-compliant in consuming Fe tablets, whereas a small portion of respondents, totaling 12 individuals (15.2%), exhibited compliance in consuming Fe tablets. In conclusion, the majority of respondents, 67 individuals (84.8%), were non-compliant in consuming Fe tablets. It is recommended that relevant institutions, particularly Sadananya Community Health Center, become more proactive in providing education to pregnant women about pregnancy-related anemia and the importance of consuming Fe tablets.

Application of Medical Implants for Public Health Monitoring and Treatment

The World Health Organisation (WHO) reports that diabetes affects roughly 180 million people worldwide and that cardiovascular illnesses account for nearly 30% of all fatalities worldwide. Applications involving radio frequency (RF) or microwave technology are crucial to medical diagnosis and illness prevention. The most recent developments in the field of implantable medical devices (IMDs), such as biomedical telemetry, allow biosignals to be monitored remotely via wireless communication technology. Providing correct information to the external monitoring station is the primary function of the health maintenance monitoring scheme. Because wireless communication lessens the invasiveness of electromagnetic (EM) medical equipment, it is extremely helpful in improving patient comfort during treatment. The first swallowable pills with sensing capabilities and the introduction of pacemakers in the early 1960s both demonstrated the significance of implantable medical devices (IMDs), which enable disease monitoring and therapy. Using IMDs with wireless connection has allowed for the monitoring of both system performance and patient status. IMDs have been widely employed in healthcare systems to gather real-time signals from biosensors or preprocessed physiological bio-signals for early disease identification, improving treatment quality and promoting healthy living.

Decision Support System Based on Deep Learning with Big Data for Pneumonia Prediction

A bacterial, viral, or fungal infection of the lungs causes pneumonia in humans. It is the primary cause of global decline. Around 27% of deaths worldwide are attributable to this illness. A World Health Organisation report states that this serious infectious disease claims the lives of almost 2.5 million people annually. Early detection of chest illness, including pneumonia, can reduce the likelihood that the condition will worsen by allowing for the proper course of treatment. Accurate CT scans and CXR (chest X-ray) reports are renowned for being exact methods of diagnosis and prediction. This approach is trustworthy and non-invasive, and it can be used as a screening tool when a disease diagnosis is necessary. Nevertheless, research has demonstrated that even highly trained radiologists regularly fail to correctly identify pneumonia disease in its early stages. The severity of the sickness and the death rate increase as a result of diagnostic delays. Machine learning has affected every aspect of human life in the twenty-first century. It has a significant effect on the medical field in terms of early diagnosis of serious illnesses. Therefore, an intelligent health care system based on artificial intelligence (AI) was presented in this work for the early and accurate diagnosis of pneumonia disease.

Out-of-Pocket Expenditures for Health: A Case Study

Background of the Study: Health is a prime component in rural population who uses their muscle power for doing economic activities. Meanwhile according to the Economic Survey of India’s 2021 report, India was among the 10 worst performing countries in terms of prioritising health in government budgets, at both state and central levels. India was placed or ranked in 67th in the list of 189 countries in Out of Pocket Expenditure per capita in PPP (in $) for 2018. World Health Organisation report (March 2022) stated that high of Out-Of-Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) on health is impoverishing some 55 million Indians annually, with over 17 per cent households incurring catastrophic levels of health expenditures every year. The Economic Survey 2023 reported that the share of government expenditure in Total Health Expenditure (THE) has increased over time from 28.6% in financial year 2014 to 40.6% in Financial Year2019. However, OOPE is still higher at 48.2% of the total expenditure. Objectives: To explore the Out of Pocket Expenditure (OOPE) for health in India, Interstate and rural villages of Theni district, Tamil Nadu Methodology: Purposive non random sampling was used to reach the sample element. Sample elements or respondents were from rural Theni District. Sample size was 300. Data was collected using an interview schedule in the catchment area of Primary Health Centre, taluk hospital and district healthcare hospital. Interview was conducted in Tamil and then the interview output was transcribed and translated into English, followed by a descriptive analysis. Ordinary Least Square estimation was used to find the implications of individual income on pocket out expenditure for health. Findings of the Study: The secondary data from the website of World Health Organisation and from the reports of National Health Accounts reflects a difference in data information for every concerned period at least two to three per cent exist. The interstate data information for the period 2019 to 2020 revealed that the spending from government health care expenditure and out of pocket expenditure is not equal to total health care expenditure. Hence, the researcher made an attempt to explore the out of pocket expenditure among the rural population and their willingness to spend from their pocket. Furthermore, the impact of annual income and annual healthcare expenditure is examined by simple linear regression analysis, for to understand the role of income in shaping healthcare spending behaviour. The R Square value is very poor, and reflects the role of explanatory variable income is not impacting the out of pocket health care expenditure. The Keynesian theory of psychological law of consumption is invalid in out of pocket healthcare expenditure with respect to income of the respondents. 13 percentages of respondents were willing to do out of pocket expenditure for their health ailing. The 39.7percentages of respondents were disagreeing to do out of pocket expenditure for their health. Conclusion: Overall, this study emphasizes the importance of understanding out-of-pocket health expenditures is increasing in rural (feckless management of public healthcare) with attitude of unwilling to pay from their pocket because of existing zero priced healthcare system, which is available in their near locality. Policy makers needs to concentrate on enhancing the healthcare supply such as medical personals, drugs, lab facility, beds, and in general in all aspects for to cater the demand of rural inhabitants and protect them from pushing into impoverishment.

Analysis of Factors Affecting the Success of Pulmonary TB Treatment in the Working Area of Puskesmas Sukaramai, Pakpak Bharat District

Tuberculosis disease is still a global problem at this time, the WHO (World Health Organization) report in 2023, there were 9.6 million people in the world suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis and 1.5 million of them died. While the number of cases of pulmonary TB at the Sukaramai Health Center in 2023 was 321 total cases and 43 people recovered. The purpose of the study was to analyze the factors that influence the success of Pulmonary TB treatment in the Sukaramai Puskesmas Working Area, Royal District, Pakpak Bharat Regency. The research design used Analytical Survey method with Cross Sectional approach. The population in this study were all TB patients who sought treatment at the Sukaramai Health Center, namely 101 patients, all of whom were sampled using the total population technique. Data analysis used univariate analysis, bivariate with chi-square test and multivariate with logistic regression. The results of logistic regression research show that there is an influence of knowledge p = 0.000, family motivation p = 0.001 adherence to taking medicine p = 0.003 and side effects of drugs p = 0.010. While the dominant factor that influences the success of Lung TB treatment is knowledge p = 0.000 with an Exp(B) value of 60.141, meaning that knowledge has 60 times the risk compared to other variables. The conclusion of this study is that there is an influence of knowledge, family motivation, adherence to taking medication and side effects of drugs on the successful treatment of Pulmonary TB in the Working Area of ??the Sukaramai Health Center, Royal District, Pakpak Bharat Regency and variables that do not affect the distance of health services. It is recommended for patients with pulmonary tuberculosis to be more independent in undergoing pulmonary tuberculosis treatment, active in field counseling activities and using social media as a promotional medium, conducting home visits to patients' homes in an effort to monitor drug compliance in order to increase the acceleration of healing of pulmonary tuberculosis disease which is for their own health and the health of the family around them.

Sedative and anxiolytic effects of Capparis sicula Duhamel: in vivo and in silico approaches with phytochemical profiling.

The World Health Organization reports that 30% of adults worldwide suffer from insomnia, while 10% of people worldwide suffer with various forms of anxiety. The significant negative effects of conventional medications used to treat anxiety and insomnia, such as abuse, addiction, amnesia, and cognitive and sexual dysfunction, have led to an increased preference for naturally derived substances with fewer side effects. Accordingly, in this study, the sedative and anxiolytic effects of n-hexane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), methanol (MeOH) and water extracts of the aerial parts of Capparis sicula Duhamel., which is used for sedative purposes in folk medicine, were evaluated. To evaluate the sedative and anxiolytic effects of each extract, bioassay systems were used including traction and hole-board tests. The MeOH extract of C. sicula was the most active extract on in vivo traction and hole-board tests compared to Diazepam. From the MeOH extract, major components were isolated, and their structures were identified as three flavonoid glycosides [rutin (1), quercetin-3-O-glucoside (2), and quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside (3)] using spectral techniques. The most abundant component was determined to be rutin, comprising 8mg/100mg dry extract in MeOH extract and 76.7mg/100mg dry fraction in fraction C using HPLC. The molecular docking studies evaluated the interaction of isolated flavonoid glycosides with the interaction energies and protein-ligand interaction details of the anxiety-related receptors GABAA and GABAB. For the GABAA receptor, quercetin-3-O-glucoside demonstrated the highest docking score. Quercetin-3-O-rhamnoside and rutin also show promising interactions, particularly with the GABAB receptor, highlighting their potential as modulators of these receptors. In conclusion, the use of C. sicula for sedative purposes in folk medicine has been confirmed for the first time by in vivo studies, and its possible active compounds and sedative-anxiolytic mechanism have been determined through phytochemical and in silico studies.

World Health Organization report removes the aerosol/droplet dichotomy but does not move us forward in infection control strategies

World Health Organization report removes the aerosol/droplet dichotomy but does not move us forward in infection control strategies

Smoking Cessation and Utilization of Cessation Assistance in 13 low- and middle-income countries - changes between Two Survey Rounds of Global Adult Tobacco Surveys, 2009-2021.

Monitoring changes in cessation behaviors and cessation assistance is critical for policymaking. We analyzed two rounds (2009-2014 and 2015-2021) of Global Adult Tobacco Surveys in 13 countries. We estimated the quit ratio, quit attempt, and utilization of cessation assistance. The availability of cessation services was obtained from World Health Organization reports. We calculated absolute and relative changes in quit ratio, quit attempt, and cessation assistance. We assessed socio-economic determinants of cessation behaviors by binary logistic regression analyses on pooled data. In all countries during both rounds smoking prevalence was 7.6-33.8%, the quit ratio was 0.15-0.54%, and the quit attempt was 17.7-52.8%. Quit ratio improved in Indonesia by 100% but declined in Turkey by 56%. Quit attempts increased in Indonesia (31.9%), Mexico (16.9%) and China (15.9%) but decreased in Turkey (140.4%), Vietnam (43.1%), and Romania (62.4%). In both rounds, using at least one method was 12.5-99.8% while the WHO-recommended method was 4.1-88.4%. In both rounds "try to quit without any assistance" and "other methods" were the most frequently reported cessation assistance. Nicotine replacement therapy (0.2-25.3%) was frequently used as recommended cessation assistance. Nicotine replacement therapy was available in most countries but not quitline and support services. Limited progress was made in smoking cessation behaviors and cessation assistance in most countries. Health education to improve demand for smoking cessation and availability of evidence-based, low-cost smoking cessation assistance including quit-smoking may improve quit ratios in the population.

Exploring women’s perception and attitude towards antidepressant use: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundThe World Health Organization reports that depression affects more than 280 million people globally. Women are approximately 50% more likely to experience depression compared to men. Depression during pregnancy leads to deterioration of the mother’s and the fetus’s health. We aim to explore women’s perceptions and attitudes toward using antidepressants and to identify the factors that influence decision-making regarding antidepressant use.MethodA cross-sectional survey, employing a convenience sampling method, was conducted on a university campus in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The survey was developed by the investigators and validated by health practitioners. Answers were reported using a 5-point Likert scale. The responses were summed up to give a total score for each respondent. Respondents who scored above or equal 75% of the total score was considered positive perception or favorable attitude. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing participants’ perception and attitude toward taking antidepressants.ResultsA total of 991 subjects were surveyed. The majority of women had negative perceptions and favorable attitudes towards using antidepressants during pregnancy reaching 64%. While women with positive perceptions and favorable attitudes represented about 20% of the study subjects. Participants reported that social stigma, religious beliefs, and fear of addiction significantly influenced their attitudes toward antidepressant use.ConclusionsThis study explores women’s perceptions of depression and antidepressant use, revealing that a significant proportion of Saudi women have a negative perception. The research emphasizes the need for tailored awareness programs to promote informed decision-making regarding antidepressant usage among Saudi women.

The relationship between maternal knowledge and timeliness of basic immunization in infants aged 0-12 months

Background: The global infant mortality rate remains a significant concern, with a rate of 28.2 per 1,000 live births recorded in 2019. In Indonesia, the infant mortality rate reached 24 per 1,000 live births in 2022, and efforts to reduce this include immunization, as the World Health Organization (WHO) reports that around 1.5 million children die annually from preventable diseases, including a rising 15% mortality rate due to diphtheria in Indonesia in 2020. Purpose: To analyze the relationship between maternal knowledge and timeliness of basic immunization in infants aged 0-12 months. Methods: This study employs a quantitative research method with a correlational descriptive design and a cross-sectional approach, using purposive sampling to select a sample of 86 respondents. Data was collected through maternal knowledge questionnaires and observation sheets from mother and child notebooks, and the analysis was conducted using the Spearman test. Results: The study found that the majority of mothers, 40 respondents (46.5%), had good knowledge about basic immunization, followed by 30 respondents (34.9%) with adequate knowledge, and 16 respondents (18.6%) with insufficient knowledge. At Puskesmas Rawalele, almost all basic immunizations for infants aged 0-12 months were administered on time (76.7%), and there was a significant relationship between maternal knowledge and the timeliness of basic immunization, with a p-value of &lt; 0.001. Conclusion: Maternal knowledge about basic immunization plays a crucial role in ensuring the timely administration of vaccines to infants. Consequently, public health initiatives focusing on increasing awareness and education about immunization among mothers could be instrumental in achieving higher compliance and better health outcomes for infants.