Filistin Gazze’de Al-Azhar Üniversitesi öğrencilerinin HIV/AIDS’e yönelik bilgi ve tutumlarının değerlendirilmesi

Objective: The study assessed the knowledge and attitudes of students’ at a university in Gaza regarding HIV/AIDS and identified differences in knowledge about HIV, and attitudes by gender, locality, and social and economic status. Methods: This descriptive study targeted 492 students of Al-Azhar University-Gaza. The participants completed self-administered questionnaires that included the following dimensions: socio-demographic, measurements of student's knowledge level and measurement of student's attitudes towards HIV/AIDS. Results: Findings showed moderate level of knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS although there was a very low of perception regarding the acceptance and sharing of HIV/AIDS persons. It means that only one third of the study respondents are willingness to be in close touch with people living with HIV or even communication with them, and less than fifty percent thought that it is their right to be engaged in a public or governmental job, stigma and discriminatory attitudes toward HIV/AIDS persons is high only 48% of the students thought it right to employ people living with HIV (PLHIV) and 35.5% refused to work in the same place with PLHIV. Conclusion: This study indicates the need for improving the level of knowledge as well as promoting the students' towards positive attitude

Left breast irradiation with tangential intensity modulated radiotherapy (t-IMRT) versus tangential volumetric modulated arc therapy (t-VMAT): trade-offs between secondary cancer induction risk and optimal target coverage

Background Adjuvant radiotherapy is the standard treatment after breast-conserving surgery. According to meta-analyses, adjuvant 3d-conventional irradiation reduces the risk of local recurrence and thereby improves long-term survival by 5–10%. However, there is an unintended exposure of organs such as the heart, lungs and contralateral breast. Irradiation of the left breast has been related to long-term effects like increased rates of coronary events as well as second cancer induction. Modern radiotherapy techniques such as tangential intensity modulated radiotherapy (t-IMRT) and tangential volumetric modulated arc therapy (t-VMAT) and particularly deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) technique have been developed in order to improve coverage of target volume and to reduce dose to normal tissue. The aim of this study was to compare t-IMRT-plans with t-VMAT-plans in DIBH position for left-sided breast irradiation in terms of normal tissue exposure, i.e. of lungs, heart, left anterior descending coronary artery (LADCA), as well as homogeneity (HI) and conformity index (CI) and excess absolute risk (EAR) for second cancer induction for organs at risk (OAR) after irradiation. Methods Twenty patients, diagnosed with left-sided breast cancer and treated with breast-preserving surgery, were included in this planning study. For each patient DIBH-t-IMRT plan using 5 to 7 beams and t-VMAT plan using four rotations were generated to achieve 95% dose coverage to 95% of the volume. Data were evaluated on the basis of dose-volume histograms: Cardiac dose and LADCA (mean and maximum dose, D25% and D45%), dose to ipsilateral and contralateral lung (mean, D20%, D30%), dose to contralateral breast (mean dose), total monitor units, V5% of total body and normal tissue integral dose (NTID). In addition, homogeneity index and conformity index, as well as the excess absolute risk (EAR) to estimate the risk of second malignancy were calculated. Results T-IMRT showed a significant reduction in mean cardiac dose of 26% (p = 0.002) compared to t-VMAT, as well as a significant reduction in the mean dose to LADCA of 20% (p = 0.03). Following t-IMRT, mean dose to the left lung was increased by 5% (p = 0.006), whereas no significant difference was found in the mean dose to the right lung and contralateral breast between the two procedures. Monitor units were 31% (p = 0.000004) lower for t-IMRT than for t-VMAT. T-IMRT technique significantly reduced normal tissue integral dose (NTID) by 19% (p = 0.000005) and the V5% of total body by 24% (p = 0.0007). In contrast, t-VMAT improved CI and HI by 2% (p = 0.001) and 0.4% (p = 0.00001), respectively. EAR with t-IMRT was significantly lower, especially for contralateral lung and contralateral breast (2–5/10,000 person years) but not for ipsilateral lung. Conclusion Compared to t-VMAT, t-IMRT in left-sided breast irradiation significantly reduced dose to organs at risk as well as normal tissue integral dose, and V5% total body. EAR with t-IMRT was significantly lower for contralateral lung and contralateral breast. T-VMAT, however, achieved better homogeneity and conformity. This may be relevant in individual cases where sufficient coverage of medial lymphatic target volumes is warranted

In depth analysis of risk factors for coeliac disease amongst children under 18 years Old in the Gaza strip. A cross sectional study

Abstract Coeliac disease is an important clinical disorder affecting the human gastrointestinal tract leading to multiple signs and symptoms in different body organs. This disease was the subject of a cross sectional descriptive-analytic study conducted in the Gaza Strip during 2010. Objectives were oriented to identify and verify several variables and attributes affecting the prognosis of coeliac disease in the patients. Ninety five children out of 113 patients were arranged into two groups according to age from 2 to 11 years and from 12 to 18 years old. Results showed the poor interest of health professionals regarding coeliac disease in the Gaza Strip. The mean age of study population was 5.47 years for males and 8.93 years for females. The lifestyle of coeliac patients was directly proportional with better nutritional indictors. Poor recognition of the emblem illustrating gluten in foods implicates effective health awareness or promotion. The more knowledgeable patients or mothers (P = 0.036) were the more compliant. The compliance to giving gluten free foods outside home was statistically significant (P = 0.037). Similarly, cautious approach when buying foods or detergents (P = 0.011). According to BMI 74.4%, 23.4% and 3.2% of all patients were normal, underweight and overweight respectively. Albumin blood level was normal in 32.6% and low in 67.4%. Meanwhile, blood calcium level was normal in 76.8%, low in 21.1% and high in 2.1% of all patients. Conclusion: The study showed that recreation and social activities for coeliac patients are substantially missing in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, the study proved that AEI is a reliable centre for care of coeliac disease patients and conducting relevant studies. Recommendation: There is a need for thorough and continuous community and institutional mobilization regarding coeliac disease in the Gaza Strip and in Palestine.</p

A survey on the knowledge and attitudes among the students of Al-Azhar University to HIV/AIDS, the Gaza Strip-Palestine

Objective: The study assessed the knowledge and attitudes of students’ at a university in Gaza regarding HIV/AIDS and identified differences in knowledge about HIV, and attitudes by gender, locality, and social and economic status. Methods: This descriptive study targeted 492 students of Al-Azhar University-Gaza. The participants completed self-administered questionnaires that included the following dimensions: socio-demographic, measurements of student's knowledge level and measurement of student's attitudes towards HIV/AIDS. Results: Findings showed moderate level of knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS although there was a very low of perception regarding the acceptance and sharing of HIV/AIDS persons. It means that only one third of the study respondents are willingness to be in close touch with people living with HIV or even communication with them, and less than fifty percent thought that it is their right to be engaged in a public or governmental job, stigma and discriminatory attitudes toward HIV/AIDS persons is high only 48% of the students thought it right to employ people living with HIV (PLHIV) and 35.5% refused to work in the same place with PLHIV. Conclusion: This study indicates the need for improving the level of knowledge as well as promoting the students' towards positive attitude

Epidemiology of acute diarrheal diseases among Children under five in Gaza Strip: Post war community based study

Diarrhoeal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old, and is responsible for killing around 760 000 children every year. To study the determinants and the magnitude of acute diarrheal diseases one month after the cessation of the third Israeli aggression against Gaza Strip and to assess its burden among the children under five. This is cross sectional design study. Data has been collected throughout Gaza Strip. The sample size included 705 women from three governorates were surveyed out of five. Eligible women were interviewed using a pre designed, pre tested interview questionnaire. The period ( last month and the point ( 24 hours prevalence rates of diarrheal diseases among children under five years were 46.1% and 17.7% respectively. The Sex of the child had no significant effect on both point and period prevalence of diarrhea. More than sixty percent ( 63.3% of period prevalence of diarrhea was recorded among children that have no exclusive breastfeeding before. There are no significant differences for the point prevalence as a result of introducing the complementary feeding. Period and point prevalence rates of diarrhea were not significantly related to the room number. Both rates were higher for children in homes without refrigerators but only significant for point prevalence. It was found that 62.1% of the mother increased fluid intake, 54% of them used ORS. Drugs like anti diarrhea and herbal drugs were used by ( 61.4% and 40.3% respectively of the participating mothers. Cleaning of drinking water tanks and the domestic tanks have played a role in reducing the occurrence of diarrhea among children under five with highly statistically significant between both of them. It is concluded that there was high point and period prevalence of diarrhoea still exists among children in Gaza Strip. It is recommended to start to search for diarrhoea causes to reduce its incidence

A survey on the knowledge and attitudes among the students of Al-Azhar University to HIV/AIDS, the Gaza Strip-Palestine

Objective: The study assessed the knowledge and attitudes of students’ at a university in Gaza regarding HIV/AIDS and identified differences in knowledge about HIV, and attitudes by gender, locality, and social and economic status. Methods: This descriptive study targeted 492 students of Al-Azhar University-Gaza. The participants completed self-administered questionnaires that included the following dimensions: socio-demographic, measurements of student's knowledge level and measurement of student's attitudes towards HIV/AIDS. Results: Findings showed moderate level of knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS although there was a very low of perception regarding the acceptance and sharing of HIV/AIDS persons. It means that only one third of the study respondents are willingness to be in close touch with people living with HIV or even communication with them, and less than fifty percent thought that it is their right to be engaged in a public or governmental job, stigma and discriminatory attitudes toward HIV/AIDS persons is high only 48% of the students thought it right to employ people living with HIV (PLHIV) and 35.5% refused to work in the same place with PLHIV. Conclusion: This study indicates the need for improving the level of knowledge as well as promoting the students' towards positive attitude.Key words: AIDS, Knowledge, attitude, students, HIV, Gaza</p

Epidemiology of acute diarrheal diseases among Children under five in Gaza Strip: Post war community based study

Diarrhoeal disease is the second leading cause of death in children under five years old, and is responsible for killing around 760 000 children every year. To study the determinants and the magnitude of acute diarrheal diseases one month after the cessation of the third Israeli aggression against Gaza Strip and to assess its burden among the children under five. This is cross sectional design study. Data has been collected throughout Gaza Strip. The sample size included 705 women from three governorates were surveyed out of five. Eligible women were interviewed using a pre designed, pre tested interview questionnaire. The period (last month) and the point (24 hours) prevalence rates of diarrheal diseases among children under five years were 46.1% and 17.7% respectively. The Sex of the child had no significant effect on both point and period prevalence of diarrhea. More than sixty percent (63.3%) of period prevalence of diarrhea was recorded among children that have no exclusive breastfeeding before. There are no significant differences for the point prevalence as a result of introducing the complementary feeding. Period and point prevalence rates of diarrhea were not significantly related to the room number. Both rates were higher for children in homes without refrigerators but only significant for point prevalence. It was found that 62.1% of the mother increased fluid intake, 54% of them used ORS. Drugs like anti diarrhea and herbal drugs were used by (61.4% and 40.3%) respectively of the participating mothers. Cleaning of drinking water tanks and the domestic tanks have played a role in reducing the occurrence of diarrhea among children under five with highly statistically significant between both of them. It is concluded that there was high point and period prevalence of diarrhoea still exists among children in Gaza Strip. It is recommended to start to search for diarrhoea causes to reduce its incidence