Using Computer and Internet for Medical Literature Searching Among Medical Students in Hadramout University, Yemen

Background: Some researchers have observed that medical students used computer and internet for nonmedical purposes. Is this the case among medical students in a newly established medical college of Hadramout University in Yemen?\ud Objectives: To assess the knowledge and usage of computer and internet among medical students of Hadramout University, find out the medical applications for which they use internet, and the factors that encourage the students to use computer and internet, with an emphasis on gender variations.\ud Methods: In a cross-sectional study, data were collected from 102 randomly selected students from second to sixth year at the academic year 2005/2006 by using structured questionnaire of 23 items. \ud Results: Seventy four students have computer at home (73%), 77 students use internet for general purposes (76.2%) and lesser use internet for educational and research purposes, with significant gender variations. The students opined that accessibility of internet in the college (84.2%) and training about online searching (74.3%) were the most expected factors to improve using of internet for medical research.\ud Conclusion: Incorporating online search of medical literature in curriculum planning is essential to improve the student skills in research

Prevalence and attitudes of smoking among secondary school teachers in Hadramout coastal districts, Yemen

A descriptive KAP study about smoking was conducted in all the ten secondary schools in Hadramout coastal districts during October 2004 – April 2005 and a total of 317 teachers were enrolled in the study (182 male, 135 female teachers). The findings revealed that about 8% of the teachers were smokers; all smokers were males (prevalence 14%). Only 10% of teachers had received training to limit smoking among students, and 27% had educational materials about harmful effects of smoking. The study concluded that low smoking prevalence, good knowledge and attitudes of teachers, especially female teachers, toward smoking may offer a chance for smoking prevention strategies in secondary schools

Descriptive and Clinical Epidemiology of Cholera in Al-Hudaydah, Yemen

Background: Yemen where a new cholera outbreak started in 2016 and continued to spread till 2020, becoming the largest documented cholera epidemic of modern times. Al-Hudaydah at western part of Yemen was the most affected governorates in Yemen by cholera outbreak that considered about 15% of all cases in Yemen. The aim of this study is to fill the gap in the knowledge about the clinical epidemiology of cholera outbreak in Al-Hudaydah in Yemen in 2018. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of secondary surveillance data spanning between January 1st and December 31, 2018 from Al-Hudaydah governorate at western part of Yemen. Results: A total of 13819 patients with acute watery diarrhea were reported in three diarrhea treatment centers in Al-Hudaydah governorate in 2018. The median age is 13 years, about one third of the patients are under 5 years of age (34.4%). The peak of the epidemic was occurred in the epi weeks 40 to 50 corresponding to the period from half of September to half of December 2018. most of them had some dehydration (66.6%) About 24.1% had no dehydration while only 9.3% of patients had severe dehydration. Only 1618 Rapid diagnostic tests (RDT) were positive for cholera (24%) while vibrio cholera was isolated from 97.6% of 1438 stool specimens from RDTs positive patients. Only 18% of cholera patients were admitted to in-patient department of the DTCs. It was reported very low death rate (0.1%). The treatment regimen used for patient care are vary from ORS only (45%) to ORS and IV fluid (36.2%) or sometimes accompanied fluid therapy with antibiotic. Conclusions: There is no doubt the AWD occurred in Yemen is cholera; Even CFR may be underestimated, good performance of DTCs reduce the case fatality rate from cholera among severely dehydrated patients to less than 1% Keywords:  Cholera, Al-Hudaydah, Yemen. DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/80-04 Publication date:September 30th 202

Proposed Educational Strategies for A Reformed Pharmacy Curriculum Based on Graduate’s Self-Perceived Assessment of Pre-Service Education

Introduction: Pharmacy practice witnessed dramatic significant changes over the past years worldwide. The traditional role of the pharmacist involving preparation, dispensing and selling of medications is no longer adequate. This has evolved into direct involvement of the pharmacist in the design, implementation, and monitoring of therapeutic plans to produce specific care outcomes. The Bachelor degree in pharmacy at the University of Aden, Yemen, witnessed scarce reviews or evaluation studies on graduates and curriculum introduced in 1995 and unchanged till 2018. Objectives: To (1) assess perception of pharmacists, working in Aden, of their pre-service education and its relevance to current work and (2) analyze the available benchmarks and propose educational strategies that could be addressed in designing and adopting a reformed pharmacy pre-service curriculum in light of results of the study. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire distributed to 220 pharmacists working in urban Aden city with response rate 86% (n=189). Questions covered general personal information; perception of pre-service educational subjects/courses and their relevance to current job; status of respondents’ practice of skills and attitudes acquired during their study. Analysis of the 7-star role of pharmacist is done based on results of the study. Results: Practicing pharmacists work in 5 different settings in Aden, in community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy, industrial pharmaceutics, management of medicines and medical supplies and academic pharmacy. Majority marked existence of weak linkage between preservice curriculum and daily work demands. 16 out of the 17 basic sciences were not used in work and to a lesser degree, similar results of pharmaceutical sciences, skills and attitudes. Accordingly, seven educational strategies are proposed. Conclusion: The study showed that pharmacists working in Aden, Yemen, need different knowledge, skills and attitude to be able to perform the current job demands. The results also showed weak link between education and job practice. One of the main challenges facing pharmacy education is the adoption of educational strategies that respond to lack of active acquisition of the needed competencies to produce a “fit-for-purpose pharmacy graduate.” Keywords: pharmacy, pre-service, education, reform, strategies DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/76-01 Publication date:June 30th 202

Prevalence of Child Labor among Elementary School Students from 5 th to 9 th Grade in Al Mukalla

Purpose To determined the prevalence of the child labor among male primary school students in Mukalla district in Yemen Methodology A cross-sectional study was designed to collect data from 5 th grade to 9 th grade primary school students in Mukalla city during the year 2015 2016 Results The study showed a high prevalence of child labor among school children in Mukalla city 54 2 where the common reason of child labor is that children have the interest to help their families 69 9 About 35 of students reported that they exposed to different kinds of abuse in their owner s place Child labor affects negatively on their school s achievements and about 20 7 of them thinking to leave school Educational level of parents did not indicate significant association with child labor p-value 0 11 Conclusion High prevalence of child labor may affect on their school achievements and being a predisposing factor to school drop-ou

Excess mortality during the COVID-19 pandemic: a geospatial and statistical analysis in Aden governorate, Yemen.

BACKGROUND: The burden of COVID-19 in low-income and conflict-affected countries remains unclear, largely reflecting low testing rates. In parts of Yemen, reports indicated a peak in hospital admissions and burials during May-June 2020. To estimate excess mortality during the epidemic period, we quantified activity across all identifiable cemeteries within Aden governorate (population approximately 1 million) by analysing very high-resolution satellite imagery and compared estimates to Civil Registry office records. METHODS: After identifying active cemeteries through remote and ground information, we applied geospatial analysis techniques to manually identify new grave plots and measure changes in burial surface area over a period from July 2016 to September 2020. After imputing missing grave counts using surface area data, we used alternative approaches, including simple interpolation and a generalised additive mixed growth model, to predict both actual and counterfactual (no epidemic) burial rates by cemetery and across the governorate during the most likely period of COVID-19 excess mortality (from 1 April 2020) and thereby compute excess burials. We also analysed death notifications to the Civil Registry office over the same period. RESULTS: We collected 78 observations from 11 cemeteries. In all but one, a peak in daily burial rates was evident from April to July 2020. Interpolation and mixed model methods estimated ≈1500 excess burials up to 6 July, and 2120 up to 19 September, corresponding to a peak weekly increase of 230% from the counterfactual. Satellite imagery estimates were generally lower than Civil Registry data, which indicated a peak 1823 deaths in May alone. However, both sources suggested the epidemic had waned by September 2020. DISCUSSION: To our knowledge, this is the first instance of satellite imagery being used for population mortality estimation. Findings suggest a substantial, under-ascertained impact of COVID-19 in this urban Yemeni governorate and are broadly in line with previous mathematical modelling predictions, though our method cannot distinguish direct from indirect virus deaths. Satellite imagery burial analysis appears a promising novel approach for monitoring epidemics and other crisis impacts, particularly where ground data are difficult to collect

Alternative epidemic indicators for COVID-19 in three settings with incomplete death registration systems

Not all COVID-19 deaths are officially reported, and particularly in low-income and humanitarian settings, the magnitude of reporting gaps remains sparsely characterized. Alternative data sources, including burial site worker reports, satellite imagery of cemeteries, and social media-conducted surveys of infection may offer solutions. By merging these data with independently conducted, representative serological studies within a mathematical modeling framework, we aim to better understand the range of underreporting using examples from three major cities: Addis Ababa (Ethiopia), Aden (Yemen), and Khartoum (Sudan) during 2020. We estimate that 69 to 100%, 0.8 to 8.0%, and 3.0 to 6.0% of COVID-19 deaths were reported in each setting, respectively. In future epidemics, and in settings where vital registration systems are limited, using multiple alternative data sources could provide critically needed, improved estimates of epidemic impact. However, ultimately, these systems are needed to ensure that, in contrast to COVID-19, the impact of future pandemics or other drivers of mortality is reported and understood worldwide

Case Report Intramedullary Epidermoid Cyst: A rare Intraspinal Tumor

We adduce this case of a very rare intraspinal tumor, an intramedullary epidermoid cyst in a male child of a 3 yearold, which is also a rare age presentation. This tumor was diagnosed through spine magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) examination. The child presented with spastic paraparesis of about three months’ duration. The child was set for spine computed tomographic(CT) scan examination (prior to the MRI study) that failed to detect the lesion well, leading to delay of correct management. MRI should be carried out directly as the investigation of first choice whenever spinal lesion questionable in non-informative CT scan study. In this case report, the MR imaging characteristics of such rare benign tumor are debated with review of pertinent literature

Color Doppler Ultrasonographic Evaluation of Varicocele: Best Position and Site for Improving Maximal Vein Diameter Measurement

The purpose of this study is to identify the best position and site for color Doppler ultrasonography evaluation of testicular vein to obtain optimal diameter measurement. Over the first six months of the year 2017, eighty nine patients aged 22-48 years who proved to have varicocele were included in the study. Color Doppler sonography was performed using a 7.5 MHz linear-array transducer, and the diameter of the largest testicular vein at three different sites was measured in both supine and standing positions with and without Valsalva maneuver. Patients\u27 varicoceles were graded according to the supine-rest maximum vein diameter into: Grade 0: less than 2 mm, Grade I: 2-3 mm, Grade II: more than 3 mm, and the changes in caliber in those grades were compared. Posterlateral scrotal edge was the best site for maximal vein diameter measurement followed by epididymal head, and the maximum vein diameter is obtained at the standing position with the use od Valsalva maneuver. So, the best position and site was the upright position with Valsalva maneuver at the posterolateral scrotal edge followed by epididymal head level