The Prevalence and Awareness of Cardiovascular Diseases Risk Factors among the Lebanese Population: A Prospective Study Comparing Urban to Rural Populations

Introduction. CVDs are largely driven by modifiable risk factors. This study sought to determine the awareness and prevalence of the modifiable CVDs risk factors among the Lebanese population. Methods. In a cross-sectional survey, 1000 participants aged ≥ 45 years were randomly selected from pharmacies and interviewed. The data was analyzed with SPSS version 21.0 software. Results. Differences between urban and rural areas include alcohol consumption (2.8% versus 1.7%; p=0.0001), cardioprotective vegetable servings (6.1% versus 2.3%; p=0.016), sedentary hours per day (18.6% versus 15.1%; p=0.002), and hypertension (38.5% versus 25.4%; p=0.001). The prevalence of overweight and obesity (77.3% versus 75.2%; p=0.468), smoking (39.3% versus 43.3%; p=0.232), diabetes (25.4% versus 21.4%; p=0.173), and dyslipidemia (25 versus 21.2%) was reported. Measurements revealed 19.3% of undiagnosed hypertension (12.4% versus 22.4%, p=0.001), 61.7% of hypertension (59.8% versus 62.6%; p=0.203), and 7.9% of undiagnosed diabetes (6.6% versus 8.6%; p=0.323). The declared awareness of CVDs risk factors was highest for smoking (91.5% versus 89.7%; p=0.339) and lowest for diabetes (54.4 versus 55.7%; p=0.692). Conclusion. This study has shown a high prevalence of modifiable CVDs risk factors in the Lebanese population ≥ 45 years, among which hypertension is the most prominent

Professional practice evaluation of emergency department prescriptions for community-acquired infections in Lebanon

Background: Selecting the appropriate antibiotic regimen is extremely important in improving patient outcomes, minimizing antimicrobial resistance, and reducing costs. This study was conducted to evaluate current prescribing practices for empiric antibiotics at the time of admission to the emergency department (ED) and to assess their appropriateness in Lebanon. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at three different Lebanese hospitals between June and December 2016. Adult patients who received antibiotics in the ED during the study period were included. The assessment of antibiotic therapy based on adherence to international guidelines, including the choice of antibiotic, dosing, or both, was considered for analysis. Results: A total of 258 patients who had a single diagnosis of an infectious disease were included. Adherence to international guidelines was noted in only 32.6% of cases; the frequency was highest for skin and soft tissue infections (50.0%), followed by urinary tract infections (40%). Among the different antibiotic classes, the highest percentage of drug incompatibility was for β-lactam prescriptions (70.8%). The percentage of incompatibility with guidelines for administered regimens on the basis of drug selection, dosing, or both was 53.4%, 10.3%, and 36.2%, respectively. Conclusions: Inappropriate antibiotic use in the ED is prevalent, and physician adherence to international guidelines for empiric antibiotic prescriptions in the ED remains low. This emphasizes the importance of monitoring the use of antibiotics in the ED, as there is growing concern for antibiotic resistance and healthcare safety. Keywords: Antibiotic, Guidelines, Adherence, Emergency department, Infectious disease

Smoking Behavior among Adolescents: The Lebanese Experience with Cigarette Smoking and Waterpipe Use

International audienceBackground: The study aims to assess cigarette smoking and waterpipe experimentation among Lebanese adolescent school students with respect to their gender, region, age, and socioeconomic status.Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, where students between 11 to 18 years of age were included from all over Lebanon.Results: A total of 1133 students were interviewed. The total proportion of adolescents who ever experimented with cigarette smoking was 24.5%. Males experimented with cigarette smoking more commonly than females (31.9% vs. 19.1%; p < 0.001). Cigarette smoking experimentation was higher among students from the Beirut area (33.6%; p < 0.001) in comparison to other regions, and among those with poor health perception (29.1% vs. 19.8%; p < 0.001) compared to students with excellent health perception. The total proportion of adolescents who ever used a waterpipe was 33.9%. Waterpipes were significantly more experimented with among males than females (40.3% vs. 29.8%; p < 0.001), and among students with bad perception about their health (39.4% vs. 28.9%; p < 0.001). Adolescents who experimented with both cigarettes and waterpipes constitute 22.2% of the studied sample.Conclusions: The rate of tobacco product use is alarming and constitutes a major public health issue for adolescents that urgently needs intervention. The findings raise important policy implications for the development of cigarette smoking prevention programs for youth

The Role of Game-Based Learning in Experiential Education: Tool Validation, Motivation Assessment, and Outcomes Evaluation among a Sample of Pharmacy Students

(1) Background: There is a scarcity of data regarding game-based learning (GBL) in experiential pharmacy education; in addition, the impact of educational games on the attainment of intended learning outcomes and students&rsquo; motivation to actively learn and practice through non-traditional pedagogical tools are yet to be explored. (2) Methods: This was a prospective quasi-experimental study that introduced GBL into the Pharmacy Practice Experience course of the Bachelor of Pharmacy (BPharm) program at the Lebanese International University in Lebanon. Data collection took place between July and September 2021. The study objectives were to assess the impact of GBL on attaining intended learning outcomes, determine students&rsquo; motivation to engage in GBL, and assess the impact of this motivation on the attainment of learning outcomes. (3) Results: GBL was associated with a significantly higher exam average (mean difference = 7.152, p &lt; 0.001). Moreover, an active learning motivation assessment scale (ALMAS) was constructed and validated; it was found to have good reliability as well as high sensitivity and specificity, and it determined a good level of motivation to engage in GBL. Game-based learners with higher motivation scores had significantly higher exam averages compared to those with lower scores (Beta = 0.296, 95% CI 0.110&ndash;0.545, p = 0.004). (4) Conclusion: GBL was associated with better attainment of intended learning outcomes. Students appear to be motivated to learn by this style of active learning, and motivation is prognostic of the attainment of learning outcomes

Knowledge Towards Antibiotics Use Among Lebanese Adults: A study on the influence of sociodemographic factors

Objectives: To evaluate the association between sociodemographic characteristics and antibiotic knowledge in the Lebanese population. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted in community pharmacies from all Lebanese governorates. Data were collected by well-trained pharmacists through face-to-face interviews from January 1 until March 31, 2017. The survey tool was adapted from a questionnaire developed by the World Health Organization. A knowledge index was computed for comparative purposes, and a linear regression model was performed to assess factors associated with knowledge. Results: An antibiotic knowledge index was computed for 623 participants, with a minimum score of 3 and a maximum score of 19 (average of 12.5 ± 3.2). Higher knowledge score was inversely correlated with age (r = -0.118; P = 0.003), but no gender differences were reported (12.6 for females vs. 12.3 for males) (P &gt;0.05). However, differences were statistically significant for residence type, educational level, and total household income categories. The linear regression model showed a significant association between residence type and knowledge (urban vs. other areas, B = 0.793; P = 0.011). Furthermore, a higher knowledge index was significantly associated with a higher income combined with higher education (additive scale/B = 1.590; P = 0.025). Finally, interactions between income and age, gender, and residence type were not significant. Conclusion: Individuals residing in urban areas, those with combined high income and high educational levels, are more knowledgeable about antibiotics use and resistance in comparison with other groups. More studies are needed to assess sociodemographic interactions on health literacy. Keywords: Knowledge; Socioeconomic Factors; Gender; Age; Attitude to Health; Educational Achievements; Residence