The Effect of Kangaroo Mother Care Intervention on the Newborns Health Outcome Delivers at Sulaymaniyah Maternity Teaching Hospital

Background and Objectives: Kangaroo mother care is an intervention for all newborns but especially for premature and low birth weight infants. The method involves babies being carried, usually by the mother, with skin-to-skin contact. It is the most achievable way for decreasing neonatal morbidity and mortality and is practical, inexpensive especially for developing countries. This study intended to assess the effect of kangaroo mother care on the newborns’ health outcome at Sulaymaniyah Maternity Teaching Hospital in Sulaymaniyah, Kurdistan Region, Iraq. Methods: A quasi-experimental, pre-post intervention study was conducted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and Baby Friend Unit of the hospital. One hundred newborn-mother pairs participated in the Kangaroo mother care procedure. The newborns were physiologically monitored before, in the middle and after the procedure. Result: The highest mean of newborn temperature was 37 ̊C after Kangaroo mother care in the visit three and the lowest mean temperature was 36.1 ̊C before Kangaroo mother care. There were statistically significant differences between the before, middle and after-procedure measurements in temperature, heart rate and respiratory rate (p-value <0.05) on all three visits, while there was no significant difference between the means of the oxy-gen saturation at all three visits (p-value was more than the standard alpha 0.05 F-test=0.961). There was a highly significant association between oxygen saturation and newborn birth weight and gestational age. Individual vital signs abnormalities were often corrected during the Kangaroo mother care sessions. Newborns involved in the procedure showed steady and statistically significant improvement in vital physiological parameters during three sessions on all three days. Conclusion: Majority of babies who received Kangaroo mother care showed significant improvement in vital physiological parameters on all three days without using special equipment showing that this strategy can offer improved care to newborn infants. These findings support wider implementation of this strategy

A multicentre point prevalence survey of hospital antibiotic prescribing and quality indices in the Kurdistan Region Government of Northern Iraq : the need for urgent action

Background: Rationale antimicrobial use is crucial to address antimicrobial resistance (AMR) threats. No study has been undertaken in Iraq, using validated methodologies, to document current antimicrobial use and areas for improvement given high AMR rates. Objectives: To assess antibiotic prescribing patterns in this region using the Global PPS methodology to identify targets for quality improvement Methods: Point prevalence survey (PPS), using the Global PPS methodology, conducted among the three major public hospitals in Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG)/northern Iraq from September-December 2019. Prevalence and quality of antibiotic use were estimated/assessed using agreed quality indicators. Results: Prevalence of antibiotic use was high (93.7%;n=192/205); with third generation cephalosporins as the most commonly prescribed antibiotics (52.6%;n=140/266). Reasons for treatment was recorded for only 61.7% (n=164/266) of antibiotics and high use (89.9%) of parenteral therapy was observed. All therapy was empirical, no stop/review dates were recorded and no treatment guidelines were available. Majority of the prescribed antibiotics (62%; n=165/266) were from the WHO Watch list. Conclusions: Prevalence of antibiotic use was the highest not only in the region but globally including Africa, coupled with significant evidence of sub-optimal prescribing practice. Swift action is needed to improve future prescribing to reduce AMR. One-two areas should initially be targeted for quality improvement including development of local guidelines, documentation of antibiotic indication and/or stop/review dates

Evaluation of the Time Course on the Effectiveness of WHO Standard Pyrethroid and Carbamate Impregnated Test Papers against Anopheles stephensi, the Main Malaria Vector in Iran

Background: Anopheles stephensi is a major vector of malaria in some parts of the world. A standard method for de­termining resistance in adult mosquito populations is the bioassay test recommended by the world health organization (WHO). The papers used in this method have an expiry date. This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of outdat­ed susceptibility test papers for use in insecticide resistance monitoring programs. Methods: Beech and Bandar Abbas strains of An. stephensi were reared in the insectary. Permethrin 0.75%, Deltame­thrin 0.05%, and Bendiocarb 0.1% impregnated test papers prepared by Universiti Sains Malaysia were used. Probit analysis was used to analyze the results and prepare time-mortality regression lines of LT50 and LT90. Results: There was a difference in the mortality of both tested strains of An. stephensi was exposed to all tested insecti­cides. Both expired and not expired Permethrin and Deltamethrin papers induced 100% mortality at the diagnostic time (60min), but their insecticidal properties were reduced gradually in serial times. The highest efficacy of test papers was in the first trimester after the expiry date and decreased over time. Conclusion: At the diagnostic time of 60 minutes, the mortality rate of both dated and expired papers was 100% in the pyrethroid insecticides, even three years after expiry dates, if stored in the package provided by the producer, in a re­frigerator. This value was reduced to less than 100% in the expired papers of Bendiocarb comparing the dated papers that induced 100% mortality

Impact of Best-Fitted Control Selection on Effect Size: An Example in Functional GI Disorder Case–Control Studies

Background: Effect sizes are the most useful quantities for communicating the practical significance of results and helping to facilitate cumulative science. We hypothesize that the selection of the best-fitted controls can significantly affect the estimated effect sizes in case–control studies. Therefore, we decided to exemplify and clarify this effect on effect size using a large data set. The objective of this study was to investigate the association among variables in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs) and mental health problems, common ailments that reduce the quality of life of a large proportion of the community worldwide. Method: In this methodological study, we constitute case and control groups in our study framework using the Epidemiology of Psychological, Alimentary Health and Nutrition (SEPAHAN) dataset of 4763 participants. We devised four definitions for control in this extensive database of FGID patients and analyzed the effect of these definitions on the odds ratio (OR): 1. conventional control: without target disorder/syndrome (sample size 4040); 2. without any positive criteria: criterion-free control (sample size 1053); 3. syndrome-free control: without any disorder/syndrome (sample size 847); 4. symptom-free control: without any symptoms (sample size 204). We considered a fixed case group that included 723 patients with a Rome III-based definition of functional dyspepsia. Psychological distress, anxiety, and depression were considered as dependent variables in the analysis. Logistic regression was used for association analysis, and the odds ratio and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) for OR were reported as the effect size. Results: The estimated ORs indicate that the strength of the association in the first case–control group is the lowest, and the fourth case–control group, including controls with completely asymptomatic people, is the highest. Ascending effect sizes were obtained in the conventional, criterion-free, syndrome-free, and symptom-free control groups. These results are consistent for all three psychological disorders, psychological distress, anxiety, and depression. Conclusions: This study shows that a precise definition of the control is mandatory in every case–control study and affects the estimated effect size. In clinical settings, the selection of symptomatic controls using the conventional definition could significantly diminish the effect size

A multidimensional longitudinal dataset on functional somatic syndromes

Functional disorders represent a prevalent health issue, significantly impacting both individuals and healthcare systems. This multidisciplinary dataset aims to enhance our comprehension of the complex interplay among various factors that contribute to functional somatic syndromes. The dataset comprises data from seemingly healthy adults (aged 18-65) in Isfahan, Iran, who were randomly selected and monitored for four consecutive years. The research data encompasses seven distinct datasets: (a) functional symptom evaluations across multiple body organs, (b) psychological assessments, (c) lifestyle factors, (d) demographic and socioeconomic variables, (e) laboratory measurements, (f) clinical examinations, and (g) historical information. A total of 1930 participants were enrolled at the study's outset in 2017. The first, second, and third annual follow-up rounds were completed with 1697 (2018), 1616 (2019), and 1176 (2020) participants, respectively. This dataset is made available for further analysis by a diverse range of researchers, healthcare policymakers, and clinicians

The Influence of the Hawrami Dialect on Mawlawi Tawagozi’s Poems

The Goran dialect is crucial to our literary history as the Kurdish nation. It has also remarkably impacted the works of some famous authors and poets of our Kurdish nation. Mawlawi Tawagozi wrote his poems (Poetry) in Hawrami, a branch of the Gorani dialect. In the present study, the questions regarding the factors that have driven this Sorani dialect poet to adopt Hawrami in writing his poetry have been answered. Moreover, according to the scientific sources as well as analyzing his poems, the prominent factors which resulted in the supremacy of the Hawrami dialect in the poetry of the poet mentioned above are explained. In the practical part of this study, the factors that fascinate this poet with the Hawrami dialect are described and exemplified. The following questions in this study are answered: Why has this dialect been so significant, and has this poet written his entire poetry in it? Was it his love for that dialect, the beauty and charm of the Hawraman area and the love for Naqshabandi Sufism, or maybe due to his love for Tawela and Byara religiously It was Islam Sheiks? Did the ruling and policy of the Ardalan Emirate (Vassaldom) have any role?