Did the post war repatriation of Lebanese physicians drive recent Lebanese medical graduates to emigrate? An observational study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A significant number of Lebanese medical graduates have emigrated from Lebanon. The objective of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that the repatriation of Lebanese physicians educated abroad has contributed to the international emigration of recent Lebanese medical graduates.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We analyzed the demographic and educational characteristics and the year of registration of physicians registered with the two physician associations in Lebanon as of 2007. We then analyzed the number of new and total registrants and the physician density for the years 1977–2006. Finally we calculated the percentage of Lebanese graduates of the years 1977–2006 registered as of 2007.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>As of 2007, 10,918 physicians were registered in Lebanon. Most were male (80.4%) and graduated from either Lebanese (36.4%) or Eastern European (30.6%) medical schools. The top three regions of specialty training were Western Europe (31.8%), Eastern Europe (28.4%) and Lebanon (25.7%). About half the physicians registered with the Lebanese Order of Physicians as of 2007 joined during the 1990s decade; only 26.2% of these graduated from Lebanese medical schools during that decade. The number of new registrants increased dramatically in the early 1990s and started decreasing in the early 2000s. About 60% of Lebanese medical graduates of the years 1977–2006 were registered in Lebanon as of 2007. Categorizing Lebanese medical graduates by their year of graduation, the percentage registered in Lebanon as of 2007 showed a "dip" for those who graduated in the early 1990s.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The high number of physicians educated abroad returning to Lebanon after the end of the civil war may have driven recent Lebanese medical graduates to emigrate.</p

Child‐level double burden of malnutrition in the MENA and LAC regions: Prevalence and social determinants

Although the prevalence of obesity has rapidly increased in the low‐ and middle‐income countries of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) regions, child undernutrition remains a public‐health challenge. We examined region‐specific sociodemographic determinants of this double burden of malnutrition, specifically, the co‐occurrence of child stunting and overweight, using Demographic and Health Survey and Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey data (2003–2016) from 11 countries in the MENA (n = 118,585) and 13 countries in the LAC (n = 77,824) regions. We used multiple logistic regressions to model region‐specific associations of maternal education and household wealth with child nutritional outcomes (6–59 months). The prevalence of stunting, overweight, and their co‐occurrence was 24%, 10%, and 4.3% in children in the MENA region, respectively, and 19%, 5%, and 0.5% in children in the LAC region, respectively. In both regions, higher maternal education and household wealth were significantly associated with lower odds of stunting and higher odds of overweight. As compared with the poorest wealth quintiles, decreased odds of co‐occurring stunting and overweight were observed among children from the second, third, and fourth wealth quintiles in the LAC region. In the MENA region, this association was only statistically significant for the second wealth quintile. In both regions, double burden was not statistically significantly associated with maternal education. The social patterning of co‐occurring stunting and overweight in children varied across the two regions, indicating potential differences in the underlying aetiology of the double burden across regions and stages of the nutrition transition.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154671/1/mcn12923_am.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154671/2/mcn12923.pd

Malocclusion in Elementary School Children in Beirut: Severity and Related Social/Behavioral Factors

Aim. To assess severity of malocclusion in Lebanese elementary school children and the relationship between components of malocclusion and sociodemographic and behavioral factors. Methods. Dental screening was performed on 655 school children aged 6–11 from 2 public (PB) and 5 private (PV) schools in Beirut. A calibrated examiner recorded occlusion, overjet, overbite, posterior crossbite, midline diastema, and crowding. Another examiner determined the DMFT (Decayed/Missing/Filled Teeth) score. A questionnaire filled by the parents provided data on sociodemographic and behavioral factors. Multinomial, binomial, and multiple linear regressions tested the association of these factors with occlusal indices. Results. Malocclusion was more severe in PB students. Age and sucking habit were associated with various components of malocclusion. Crowding was more prevalent among males and significantly associated with the DMFT score. Income and educational level were significantly higher (P<0.05) in PV pupils and deleterious habits were more frequent in PB children. Conclusions. Children of lower socioeconomic background had more severe malocclusions and poorer general dental health. Compared to Western and WHO norms, the findings prompt health policy suggestions to improve dental care of particularly public school children through regular screenings in schools, prevention methods when applicable, and cost effective practices through public and private enabling agencies

Predictive Power of Early Weight-Gain on Later Weight-Gain and Metabolic Syndrome in Depressed Patients Treated with Antidepressants : Findings from the METADAP Cohort

In this dissertation we have studied the relationship between AD treatment, weight gain and MetS on a sample of MDD patients. Clinical findings have suggested that early weight gain due to AD treatment would increase the risk of both later weight gain and later MetS incidence. The relationship between AD use, response to treatment and weight gain remain complex. Despite the simultaneous increase in AD use and obesity trends in Western societies, additional prospective cohorts are needed to fully test the hypothesis that weight gain among AD users is indeed an iatrogenic effect. Although impact of AD on cardiovascular morbidity still cannot be ascertained, the results from the first chapter showed that AD use – irrespective of the class - does impact and worsen metabolic dysregulations, which would require specific clinical attention. A long term cohort study is required to confirm whether discontinuation and re-initiation of AD treatment would be linked to fluctuation in MetS dysregulations.Dans cette thèse, nous avons étudié la relation entre le traitement par antidépresseurs, la prise du poids et le syndrome métabolique sur un échantillon de patients atteints de TDM. Les résultats cliniques ont suggéré que la prise du poids précoce due au traitement par antidépresseurs augmenterait le risque de prise du poids ultérieure et d’incidence ultérieure du syndrome métabolique. Ainsi que la relation entre l'utilisation des antidépresseurs, la réponse au traitement et la prise du poids reste complexe. Malgré l'augmentation simultanée de la consommation d'antidépresseurs et la tendance à l'obésité dans les sociétés occidentales, des cohortes prospectives supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour tester pleinement l'hypothèse traitant que la prise du poids chez les utilisateurs des antidépresseurs est un effet iatrogène. Bien que l'impact des antidépresseurs sur la morbidité cardiovasculaire ne puisse toujours pas être déterminé, les résultats du premier chapitre ont montré que l'utilisation des antidépresseurs, indépendamment de leurs classes, avait un impact sur les dérèglements métaboliques, nécessitant une attention clinique spécifique. Une étude de cohorte à long terme est nécessaire pour confirmer si l'interruption et la réinstauration du traitement par des antidépresseurs seraient liées à la fluctuation des dysrégulations du syndrome métabolique

Pouvoir prédictif de la prise de poids précoce sur la prise de poids ultérieure et le syndrome métabolique chez les patients déprimés traités par antidépresseurs : résultats de la cohorte METADAP

Dans cette thèse, nous avons étudié la relation entre le traitement par antidépresseurs, la prise du poids et le syndrome métabolique sur un échantillon de patients atteints de TDM. Les résultats cliniques ont suggéré que la prise du poids précoce due au traitement par antidépresseurs augmenterait le risque de prise du poids ultérieure et d’incidence ultérieure du syndrome métabolique. Ainsi que la relation entre l'utilisation des antidépresseurs, la réponse au traitement et la prise du poids reste complexe. Malgré l'augmentation simultanée de la consommation d'antidépresseurs et la tendance à l'obésité dans les sociétés occidentales, des cohortes prospectives supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour tester pleinement l'hypothèse traitant que la prise du poids chez les utilisateurs des antidépresseurs est un effet iatrogène. Bien que l'impact des antidépresseurs sur la morbidité cardiovasculaire ne puisse toujours pas être déterminé, les résultats du premier chapitre ont montré que l'utilisation des antidépresseurs, indépendamment de leurs classes, avait un impact sur les dérèglements métaboliques, nécessitant une attention clinique spécifique. Une étude de cohorte à long terme est nécessaire pour confirmer si l'interruption et la réinstauration du traitement par des antidépresseurs seraient liées à la fluctuation des dysrégulations du syndrome métabolique.In this dissertation we have studied the relationship between AD treatment, weight gain and MetS on a sample of MDD patients. Clinical findings have suggested that early weight gain due to AD treatment would increase the risk of both later weight gain and later MetS incidence. The relationship between AD use, response to treatment and weight gain remain complex. Despite the simultaneous increase in AD use and obesity trends in Western societies, additional prospective cohorts are needed to fully test the hypothesis that weight gain among AD users is indeed an iatrogenic effect. Although impact of AD on cardiovascular morbidity still cannot be ascertained, the results from the first chapter showed that AD use – irrespective of the class - does impact and worsen metabolic dysregulations, which would require specific clinical attention. A long term cohort study is required to confirm whether discontinuation and re-initiation of AD treatment would be linked to fluctuation in MetS dysregulations

Is self-rated health a valid measure to use in social inequities and health research? Evidence from the PAPFAM women’s data in six Arab countries

Abstract Introduction Some evidence from high-income countries suggests that self-rated health (SRH) is not a consistent predictor of objective health across social groups, and that its use may lead to inaccurate estimates of the effects of inequities on health. Given increased interest in studying and monitoring social inequities in health worldwide, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the validity of SRH as a consistent measure of health across socioeconomic categories in six Arab countries. Methods We employed the PAPFAM population-based survey data on women from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Syria, and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to assess the strength of the association between fair/poor SRH and objective health (reporting at least one chronic condition), adjusting for available socio-demographic and health-related variables. Analyses were then stratified by two socioeconomic indicators: education and household economic status. Results The association between SRH and objective health is strong in Algeria, Tunisia, Lebanon, Syria, and OPT, but weak in Morocco. The strength of the association between reporting fair/poor health and objective health was not moderated by education or household economic status in any of the six countries. Conclusion As the SRH-objective health association does not vary across social categories, the use of the measure in social inequities in health research is justified. These results should not preclude the need to carry out other validation studies using longitudinal data on men and women, or the need to advocate for improving the quality of morbidity and mortality data in the Arab region.</p

Social capital, social cohesion, and health of Syrian refugee working children living in informal tented settlements in Lebanon: A cross-sectional study.

BackgroundSince 2011, the protracted Syrian war has had tragic consequences on the lives of the Syrian people, threatening their stability, health, and well-being. The most vulnerable are children, who face interruption of schooling and child labor. This study explored the relationship between social capital and the physical health and emotional well-being of Syrian refugee working children in rural areas of Lebanon.Methods and findingsIn this cross-sectional study, we surveyed 4,090 Syrian refugee children working in the Bekaa Valley of Lebanon in 2017. Children (8-18 years) gave direct testimony on their living and social environment in face-to-face interviews. Logistic regressions assessed the association of social capital and social cohesion with the health and emotional well-being of Syrian refugee working children; specifically, poor self-rated health, reporting a health problem, engaging in risky health behavior, feeling lonely, feeling optimistic, and being satisfied with life. Of the 4,090 working children in the study, 11% reported poor health, 16% reported having a health problem, and 13% were engaged in risky behaviors. The majority (67.5%) reported feeling lonely, while around 53% were optimistic and 59% were satisfied with life. The study findings suggest that positive social capital constructs were associated with better health. Lower levels of social cohesion (e.g., not spending time with friends) were significantly associated with poor self-rated health, reporting a physical health problem, and feeling more lonely ([adjusted odds ratio (AOR), 2.4; CI 1.76-3.36, p ConclusionsThis study highlights the association between social capital, social cohesion, and refugee working children's physical and emotional health. In spite of the poor living and working conditions that Syrian refugee children experience, having a close-knit network of family and friends was associated with better health. Interventions that consider social capital dimensions might contribute to improving the health of Syrian refugee children in informal tented settlements (ITSs)

Expression of Killer Immunoglobulin Receptor Genes among HIV-Infected Individuals with Non-AIDS Comorbidities

Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) increased the life expectancy of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and remarkably reduced the morbidity and mortality associated with HIV infection. However, non-AIDS associated comorbidities including diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are increasingly reported among PLHIV receiving cART. Killer cell immunoglobulin receptors (KIRs) expressed on the surface of natural killer (NK) cells have been previously implicated in controlling HIV disease progression. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of KIRs in developing non-AIDS associated comorbidities among PLHIV. Demographic and behavioral data were collected from voluntary participants using a standardized questionnaire. Whole blood samples were collected for KIR genotyping. Hypertension (29.5%) and hyperlipidemia (29.5%) followed by diabetes (23.7%) and CVD (9.7%) were mainly reported among our study participants with higher rate of comorbid conditions observed among participants>40 years old. The observed KIR frequency (OF) was ≥90% for inhibitory KIR2DL1 and KIR3DL1, activating KIR2DS4 and the pseudogene KIR2DP1 among study participants. We detected significant differences in the expression of KIR3DS4 and KIR3DL1 (p=0.038) between diabetic and nondiabetic and in the expression of KIR2DL3 between hypertensive and normotensive HIV-infected individuals (p=0.047). Moreover, KIR2DL1 and KIR2DP1 were associated with significantly reduced odds of having CVD (OR 0.08; 95% CI: 0.01-0.69; p=0.022). Our study suggests the potential role of KIR in predisposition to non-AIDS comorbidities among PLHIV and underscores the need for more studies to further elucidate the role of KIRs in this population

Effect of BPA on CYP450s expression, and nicotine modulation, in fetal rat brain

Human exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) is mainly due to migration from plastic packaging into food and beverages. Studies reported BPA endocrine disruptions through interactions with different nuclear receptors, including the arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR). AhR mediates xenobiotic responses and regulates expression of drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs), including many CYP450s. This study aimed to assess the effects of BPA maternal exposure on CYP450s expression in fetal brain. Sprague-Dawley dams were exposed to BPA concentrations of 0, 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/L in drinking water, individually, and with nicotine. Fetal brains were isolated at gestational days GD14 and GD19, and protein expression was assessed by Western blotting. Results showed a BPA-induced significant decrease in CYP1B1 expression levels at GD14 (p = 0.001), and CYP19A1 (aromatase) expression at both mid- and late-stage development (p < 0.001). In addition, nicotine individually decreased expression levels of all examined protein targets, significantly for CYP1B1 (p < 0.001), CYP19A1 (p = 0.010), AhRR (p = 0.042), and ARNT (p < 0.001), compared to control. When combined with BPA, nicotine suppressive effects were attenuated at both GD14 and GD19. In conclusion, BPA suppresses CYP1B1 and CYP19A1 expression in fetal brain, and attenuates the suppressive effects of nicotine. Observed effects may be mediated by AhR-ARNT independent mechanisms that need further examination.This work was supported by the National Council for Scientific Research in Lebanon (LCNRS) and the American University of Beirut Research Board (URB)

Socio-demographic and cardiovascular disease risk factors associated with dementia: Results of a cross-sectional study from Lebanon

Little evidence from the Arab region is available on dementia and its associated risk factors. This study is the first in Lebanon to examine the association between community older adults' socio-demographics and cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRF) and dementia in the aim of closing the knowledge gap. A cross-sectional household survey was conducted in 2013 in Beirut and two districts of Mount Lebanon with 502 older adults (65years and above) and their informants. Data was collected on CVDRF and socio-demographics using structured questionnaires and dementia was assessed using the 10/66 Dementia Research Group validated tools. Multivariable analysis was done using a generalized estimating equation to account for cluster effect. Being older and perceiving personal income as insufficient significantly increased the odds of dementia [OR75–84years=4.00 (95%CI=1.46, 10.95); OR85+years=7.07 (1.84, 27.03); ORinsufficient income=3.90 (1.58, 9.60)]. Having uncontrolled hypertension (versus no hypertension) was the only significant CVDRF that increased the odds of dementia [OR=6.35 (1.60, 25.10)]. Interventions targeting uncontrolled hypertension that aim to increase awareness about proper management of this chronic condition would contribute to the needed preventive efforts against CVDRFs in response to dementia risk. Further research on the association between income sufficiency – one indicator of low socio-economic status – and dementia is warranted. Keywords: Dementia, CVD risk factors, Uncontrolled hypertension, Income, Lebano