Exploring the Relationship between Drug Addiction and Quality of Life in Herat, Afghanistan: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Addiction is a global public health problem, with over 36 million people suffering from drug-use disorders. Afghanistan, the world’s leading opium producer, has high rates of drug use owing to the easy access to drugs in this country. This study aimed to investigate drug users’ quality of life in Herat, Afghanistan, and identify the factors affecting it.Methods: This cross-sectional study examined health-related quality of life at six rehabilitation camps in Herat, Afghanistan, from March to July 2019, using the short form-36 questionnaire (SF-36). Data collected through interviews were analyzed using SPSS software (version 25).Findings: A total of 240 participants from six rehabilitation camps in Herat, Afghanistan participated in this study. The majority of participants (80%) rated their overall health as “good” or “very good”. Men had higher average scores for mental health and vitality than women and those aged 30-39 had the highest quality of life. Statistically significant differences were found in bodily pain (P=0.038), vitality (P=0.042), and social functioning (P=0.046) among users of different types of drugs. Opium abusers had the highest scores for the physical and mental components, followed by heroin, methamphetamine, hashish, and crack abusers.Conclusion: This study explored the relationship between drug addiction and quality of life in Herat, Afghanistan. The findings showed that young adults were more vulnerable to drug use and male addicts and opium users had the highest quality of life. This study can inform the development of effective rehabilitation programs but more research is needed for addiction treatment strategies

Determinants of pre-lacteal feeding practices in urban and rural Nigeria; a population-based cross-sectional study using the 2013 Nigeria demographic and health survey data.

Background: Prelacteal feeding (PLF) is a barrier to exclusive breast feeding. Objective: To determine factors associated with PLF in rural and urban Nigeria. Methods: We utilized data from the 2013 Nigerian Demographic and Health Survey. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to test for association between PLF and related factors. Results: Prevalence of PLF in urban Nigeria was 49.8%, while in rural Nigeria it was 66.4%. Sugar or glucose water was given more in urban Nigeria (9.7% vs 2.9%), plain water was given more in rural Nigeria (59.9% vs 40.8% ). The multivariate analysis revealed that urban and rural Nigeria shared similarities with respect to factors like mother\u2019s education, place of delivery, and size of child at birth being significant predictors of PLF. Mode of delivery and type of birth were significant predictors of PLF only in urban Nigeria, whereas, mother\u2019s age at birth was a significant predictor of PLF only in rural Nigeria. Zones also showed variations in the odds of PLF according to place of residence. Conclusion: Interventions aimed at decreasing PLF rate should be through a tailored approach, and should target at risk sub -groups based on place of residence

Assessing the validity and reliability of family factors on physical activity: A case study in Turkey

Background: Childhood obesity rates have been rising rapidly in developing countries. A better understanding of the risk factors and social context is necessary to inform public health interventions and policies. This paper describes the validation of several measurement scales for use in Turkey, which relate to child and parent perceptions of physical activity (PA) and enablers and barriers of physical activity in the home environment. Method: The aim of this study was to assess the validity and reliability of several measurement scales in Turkey using a population sample across three socio-economic strata in the Turkish capital, Ankara. Surveys were conducted in Grade 4 children (mean age = 9.7 years for boys; 9.9 years for girls), and their parents, across 6 randomly selected schools, stratified by SES (n = 641 students, 483 parents). Construct validity of the scales was evaluated through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Internal consistency of scales and test-retest reliability were assessed by Cronbach\u27s alpha and intra-class correlation. Results: The scales as a whole were found to have acceptable-to-good model fit statistics (PA Barriers: RMSEA = 0.076, SRMR = 0.0577, AGFI = 0.901; PA Outcome Expectancies: RMSEA = 0.054, SRMR = 0.0545, AGFI = 0.916, and PA Home Environment: RMSEA = 0.038, SRMR = 0.0233, AGFI = 0.976). The PA Barriers subscales showed good internal consistency and poor to fair test-retest reliability (personal α = 0.79, ICC = 0.29, environmental α = 0.73, ICC = 0.59). The PA Outcome Expectancies subscales showed good internal consistency and test-retest reliability (negative α = 0.77, ICC = 0.56; positive α = 0.74, ICC = 0.49). Only the PA Home Environment subscale on support for PA was validated in the final confirmatory model; it showed moderate internal consistency and test-retest reliability (α = 0.61, ICC = 0.48). Discussion: This study is the first to validate measures of perceptions of physical activity and the physical activity home environment in Turkey. Our results support the originally hypothesized two-factor structures for Physical Activity Barriers and Physical Activity Outcome Expectancies. However, we found the one-factor rather than two-factor structure for Physical Activity Home Environment had the best model fit. This study provides general support for the use of these scales in Turkey in terms of validity, but test-retest reliability warrants further research

Waterpipe Smoking among Herat University Students: Prevalence, Attitudes, and Associated Factors

AbstractBackground: Waterpipe tobacco smoking (WTS) is an ancient type of smoking that has become a globalphenomenon. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of waterpipe smoking and its relation tosocio-demographic characteristics in Herat University students in western Afghanistan.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a structured self-administered questionnaire containing 53 items in3 subscales was distributed between July and December 2018, to examine the use of waterpipe among HeratUniversity students. Data were evaluated in SPSS. Chi-square test was used to observe differences betweencategorical variables. All important variables were separately evaluated for men and women in logisticregression models. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Findings: The prevalence of ever waterpipe use in male and female students was 54.1% and 81.8%,respectively. Parents’ higher education and family economic status were associated with higher rates of everwaterpipe use in both sexes. On the other hand, marital status and parents’ employment were not associatedwith waterpipe use. Ever waterpipe use was associated with having smoking friends or family members inboth sexes. Male and female waterpipe users believed that cigarette smoke had more nicotine thanwaterpipe. While more male waterpipe users believed that cigarette was more addictive than waterpipe, morefemale users believed otherwise.Conclusion: The prevalence of ever waterpipe use is higher in male students at Herat University. Having asmoking friend and family member positively influences waterpipe use among both sexes. Most usersbelieved that waterpipe smoking was less hazardous than cigarette smoking

Epidemiology of Drug Use in Herat – Afghanistan

Background: Drug addiction is one of the alarming public health and social problems in Afghanistan and around the world. Addiction denotes the habitual use or the physical or mental dependence on narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.Methods: Drug addicts who were admitted to six public addicts’ rehabilitation centers in Herat, Afghanistan between March and July 2019 were recruited for this descriptive study. A total of 299 drug addicts were included in this study. A 77-item questionnaire containing three subscales: 39 items for personal information, 32 items for drug use, and 6 items for dependence and treatment subscale were validated and used for data collection. IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows v.22.0 was used for data analyses.Findings: The median age of the participants was 30 years. Of all participants, 79.1% were male, 56.6% were illiterate, and 1.7% were university graduates. In this study, 44.8% of the participants used heroin, 20.7% used opium and 15.4% used methamphetamine. Almost half of the participants (49.5%) declared that at least one member of their families was a drug user. Of the 299 drug users included in this study, 64.9% stated that at least one person close to them (except family members) used drugs. Over two-thirds of the participants (78.4%) had easy access to drugs, 26.8% had broken laws for money/drugs at least once.Conclusion: This study revealed that male illiterate teenagers living in low-economic nuclear families were more vulnerable to drug use in Herat, Afghanistan. The most common reasons for drug use were curiosity, peer influence, and seeking pleasure

Socioeconomic differences in food habits among 6- to 9-year-old children from 23 countries-WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI 2015/2017)

Background: Socioeconomic differences in children's food habits are a key public health concern. In order to inform policy makers, cross-country surveillance studies of dietary patterns across socioeconomic groups are required. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between socioeconomic status (SES) and children's food habits. Methods: The study was based on nationally representative data from children aged 6-9 years (n = 129,164) in 23 countries in the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region. Multivariate multilevel analyses were used to explore associations between children's food habits (consumption of fruit, vegetables, and sugar-containing soft drinks) and parental education, perceived family wealth and parental employment status. Results: Overall, the present study suggests that unhealthy food habits are associated with lower SES, particularly as assessed by parental education and family perceived wealth, but not parental employment status. We found cross-national and regional variation in associations between SES and food habits and differences in the extent to which the respective indicators of SES were related to children's diet. Conclusion: Socioeconomic differences in children's food habits exist in the majority of European and Asian countries examined in this study. The results are of relevance when addressing strategies, policy actions, and interventions targeting social inequalities in children's diets.The authors gratefully acknowledge support from a grant from the Russian Government in the context of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. Data collection in the countries was made possible through funding from Albania: WHO through the Joint Programme on Children, Food Security and Nutrition “Reducing Malnutrition in Children,” funded by the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, and the Institute of Public Health; Bulgaria: Ministry of Health, National Center of Public Health and Analyses, WHO Regional Office for Europe; Croatia: Ministry of Health, Croatian Institute of Public Health and WHO Regional Office for Europe; Czechia: Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, grant nr. AZV MZČR 17-31670 A and MZČ–VO EÚ 00023761; Denmark: Danish Ministry of Health; Georgia: WHO; Ireland: Health Service Executive; Italy: Ministry of Health and Italian National Institute of Health; Kazakhstan: Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan and WHO Country Office; Kyrgyzstan: World Health Organization; Latvia: Ministry of Health, Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; Lithuania: Science Foundation of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Lithuanian Science Council and WHO; Malta: Ministry of Health; Montenegro: WHO and Institute of Public Health of Montenegro; Norway: Ministry of Health and Norwegian Institute of Public Health; Poland: National Health Programme, Ministry of Health; Portugal: Ministry of Health Institutions, the National Institute of Health, Directorate General of Health, Regional Health Directorates and the kind technical support from the Center for Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and Health (CEIDSS); Romania: Ministry of Health; Russian Federation: WHO; San Marino: Health Ministry, Educational Ministry; Serbia: This study was supported by the World Health Organization (Ref. File 2015-540940); Spain: Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN); Tajikistan: WHO Country Office in Tajikistan and Ministry of Health and Social Protection; Turkmenistan: WHO Country Office in Turkmenistan and Ministry of Health; Turkey: Turkish Ministry of Health and World Bank. The CO-CREATE project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No. 774210.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Thinness, overweight, and obesity in 6‐ to 9‐year‐old children from 36 countries: The World Health Organization European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative - COSI 2015-2017

In 2015-2017, the fourth round of the World Health Organization (WHO) European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) was conducted in 36 countries. National representative samples of children aged 6–9 (203,323) were measured by trained staff, with similar equipment and using a standardized protocol. This paper assesses the children's body weight status and compares the burden of childhood overweight, obesity, and thinness in Northern, Eastern, and Southern Europe and Central Asia. The results show great geographic variability in height, weight, and body mass index. On average, the children of Northern Europe were the tallest, those of Southern Europe the heaviest, and the children living in Central Asia the lightest and the shortest. Overall, 28.7% of boys and 26.5% of girls were overweight (including obesity) and 2.5% and 1.9%, respectively, were thin according to the WHO definitions. The prevalence of obesity varied from 1.8% of boys and 1.1% of girls in Tajikistan to 21.5% and 19.2%, respectively, in Cyprus, and tended to be higher for boys than for girls. Levels of thinness, stunting, and underweight were relatively low, except in Eastern Europe (for thinness) and in Central Asia. Despite the efforts to halt it, unhealthy weight status is still an important problem in the WHO European Region.The authors gratefully acknowledge support from a grant from the Russian Government in the context of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of NCDs. Data collection in the countries was made possible through funding from the following: Albania: WHO through the Joint Programme on Children, Food Security and Nutrition “Reducing Malnutrition in Children,” funded by the Millennium Development Goals Achievement Fund, and the Institute of Public Health; Austria: Federal Ministry of Social Affairs, Health, Care and Consumer Protection, Republic of Austria; Bulgaria: Ministry of Health, National Center of Public Health and Analyses, WHO Regional Office for Europe; Croatia: Ministry of Health, Croatian Institute of Public Health and WHO Regional Office for Europe; Czechia: Ministry of Health of the Czech Republic, grants AZV MZČR 17-31670 A and MZČR – RVO EÚ 00023761; Cyprus: not available; Denmark: Danish Ministry of Health; Estonia: Ministry of Social Affairs, Ministry of Education and Research (IUT 42-2), WHO Country Office, and National Institute for Health Development; Finland: Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare; France: Santé publique France, the French Agency for Public Health; Georgia: WHO; Greece: International Hellenic University and Hellenic Medical Association for Obesity; Hungary: WHO Country Office for Hungary; Ireland: Health Service Executive; Italy: Ministry of Health and Italian National Institute of Health; Kazakhstan: Ministry of Health of the Republic of Kazakhstan and WHO Country Office; Kyrgyzstan: World Health Organization; Latvia: Ministry of Health, Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; Lithuania: Science Foundation of Lithuanian University of Health Sciences and Lithuanian Science Council and WHO; Malta: Ministry of Health; Montenegro: WHO and Institute of Public Health of Montenegro; North Macedonia: funded by the Government of North Macedonia through National Annual Program of Public Health and implemented by the Institute of Public Health and Centers of Public Health in the country. WHO country office provided support for training and data management; Norway: Ministry of Health and Norwegian Institute of Public Health; Poland: National Health Programme, Ministry of Health; Portugal: Ministry of Health Institutions, the National Institute of Health, Directorate General of Health, Regional Health Directorates and the kind technical support from the Center for Studies and Research on Social Dynamics and Health (CEIDSS); Romania: Ministry of Health; Russian Federation: WHO; San Marino: Health Ministry, Educational Ministry, Social Security Institute and Health Authority; Serbia: World Health Organization (Ref. File 2015-540940); Slovakia: Biennial Collaborative Agreement between WHO Regional Office for Europe and Ministry of Health SR; Slovenia: Ministry of Education, Science and Sport of the Republic of Slovenia within the SLOfit surveillance system; Spain: Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN); Sweden: Public Health Agency of Sweden; Tajikistan: WHO Country Office in Tajikistan and Ministry of Health and Social Protection; Turkmenistan: WHO Country Office in Turkmenistan and Ministry of Health; Turkey: Turkish Ministry of Health and World Bank.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

How Turkey Meets MPOWER Criteria?

In 2003 World Health Assembly adopted an international treaty on tobacco control; FCTC, Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Five year later World Health Organization (WHO) declared the six effective approach for tobacco control, under the name of MPOWER. In the following years, WHO evaluated the level of implementation of MPOWER criteria in the countries. In this article, how Turkey implemented these six criteria will be discussed. Monitor tobacco use and prevention policies: Monitoring of tobacco use prevalence has been successfully monitored in Turkey through Global Adult Tobacco Survey, Global Youth Tobacco Survey and Health Professionals Tobacco Use Survey. Nevertheless, monitoring of tobacco industry activities was not successfully implemented. Protect people from tobacco smoke: Smoking was banned in most of the indoor public places in Turkey since 1996, and Turkey became a complete smoke-free country by the exposion of smoke-free places including the hospitality workplaces in 2008. Offer help to quit tobacco use: Although smoking cessation services has been a bit late in Turkey, availability of smoking cessation drugs and the establishment of free quitline services made Turkey successful in this regard. Warn about the dangers of tobacco: Since 1996, all TV channels have a duty of broadcasting programs on harms of tobacco use, not less than 90 minutes in a month and it has been implemented successfully. Additionally written messages indicating harms of tobacco has been printed on the packs since 1988 and pictures was added in 2010. But since the average surface area covered by the messages in less than 50% of the total surface of the pack, Turkey was not regarded as to meet the requirement. Enforce bans on tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship: All kinds of tobacco advertisement and promotion was banned by the Law in 1996. But the tobacco products was not in closed boxes at the sales points. Turkey was not found as successful in this regard. Raise taxes on tobacco: Total tax on the tobacco products is more than 75% level which was recommended by WHO, Turkey meets this criteria. In conclusion, Turkey was regarded as meeting all the MPOWER criteria except the warning about the dangers of tobacco and enforcement of the advertisement ban. In conclusion, Turkey was regarded as meeting all the MPOWER criteria except the warning about the dangers of tobacco and enforcement of the advertisement ban. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2013; 12(1.000): 1-10

Risk Factors For Prelacteal Feeding In Sub-Saharan Africa: A Multilevel Analysis of Population Data From Twenty-Two Countries

Objective To examine the risk factors of prelacteal feeding (PLF) among mothers in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Design We pooled data from Demographic and Health Surveys in twenty-two SSA countries. The key outcome variable was PLF. A multilevel logistic regression model was used to explore factors associated with PLF. Setting Demographic and Health Surveys in twenty-two SSA countries. Subjects Mother-baby pairs (n 95348). Results Prevalence of PLF in SSA was 322 %. Plain water (221 %), milk other than breast milk (50 %) and sugar or glucose water (41 %) were the predominant prelacteal feeds. In the multivariable analysis, mothers who had caesarean section delivery had 225 times the odds of giving prelacteal feeds compared with mothers who had spontaneous vaginal delivery (adjusted OR=225; 95 % CI 206, 246). Other factors that were significantly associated with increased likelihood of PLF were mother's lower educational status, first birth rank, fourth or above birth rank with preceding birth interval less than or equal to 24 months, lower number of antenatal care visits, home delivery, multiple birth, male infant, as well as having an average or small sized baby at birth. Mothers aged 20-34 years were less likely to give prelacteal feeds compared with mothers aged 19 years. Belonging to the second, middle or fourth wealth quintile was associated with lower likelihood of PLF compared with the highest quintile. Conclusions To achieve optimal breast-feeding, there is a need to discourage breast-feeding practices such as PLF. Breast-feeding promotion programmes should target the at-risk sub-population groups discovered in our study.WoSScopu