Effective components of self-management programs for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients: scoping review

Introduction: To date, little guidance is available to support the development of effective programs for improving self-management in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. Yet, given the global burden of this disease, it seems important to identify the components of a self-management program that are effective in terms of health outcomes for COPD patients. Objectives: This review aims to identify effective elements of a self-management program for COPD patients, the ones that may impact quality of life, emergency visits, and rehospitalization rates.Material and methods: A systematic literature search of three databases (Medline, Cochrane, and CINHAL) was conducted to identify studies on self-management of COPD, with three limiting parameters: published in twelve years prior to November 2019, in English or French, and including patients over 40 years old. Prisma was used to guide the work process. Results: The search yielded 361 studies from the three electronic databases by applying limiting criteria, and after removing duplicates. Sixty-five articles were identified as relevant based on their titles and abstracts. However, 16 documents were retained after full reading. The analysis of the included articles identified 4 components in self-management programs for COPD patients: initiation stage of the intervention, educational sessions, support and monitoring methods. Conclusions: Although the combination of self-management program initiation, educational sessions, support and monitoring methods were effective, further research is needed to identify the components that have better impact on COPD patients’ skills and quality of life

Root and Root Canal Morphology of Premolars in a Sample of the Lebanese Population: Clinical Considerations

ABSTRACT Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the anatomy of the maxillary and mandibular premolars among a sample of the Lebanese population and to explore their incidence by sex and the symmetry between the left and right sides. Materials and Methods: This retrospective analysis of 250 cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans consisted of 960 maxillary and 972 mandibular premolars. Roots, canals, and morphology types were recorded. Vertucci’s classification was used to categorize the canal morphologies. Fisher’s exact and chi-square tests (P≤.05) were applied. Results: The majority of maxillary first premolars had two roots (85.3%) with two canals (91.3%). Most of the maxillary second premolars showed one root (79.8%). Two-root canals (53.55%) were more common than one canal (44.2%). The three-root, three-canal morphology was rarely spotted in the maxillary first (0.4%) and second premolars (2.3%). The one-root (99.2%) and one-canal (84.5%) morphologies were most frequently located in the mandibular first and second premolars (100%, 88.6%), and two canals being less common (15.5%, 11.4%) correct same as before. The total prevalence of premolars with a complex root canal morphology was 62.4%, found in types II, III, and V to VIII. Men had significantly more roots and root canals in their maxillary first premolars than women (P≤.05). No significant differences were observed between the contralateral premolars (P\u3e.05). Conclusions: Premolars displayed wide variations in root and root canal morphology and symmetry between the contralateral premolars. Keywords: cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), mandibular premolars, maxillary premolars, root canal anatomy, root canal configuration, sex distribution, symmetry. Objectif Cette étude vise à examiner le nombre de racines, les canaux radiculaires et la morphologie des canaux des prémolaires maxillaires et mandibulaires, au sein d’une population libanaise. Matériels et méthodes 250 images CBCT de 960 prémolaires maxillaires et 972 prémolaires mandibulaires ont été analysées rétrospectivement. Les tests de Fisher Exact et du Chi-Carré (P \u3c 0,05) ont été appliqués pour évaluer le nombre de racines et de canaux radiculaires, la fréquence et la symétrie entre les côtés gauche et droit, ainsi que l’incidence au sein du sexe. La classification de Vertucci a été utilisée pour classer les morphologies des canaux. Résultats Les premières prémolaires maxillaires étaient principalement caractérisées par deux racines (1 racine : 14,4%, 2 racines: 85,3% et 3 racines: 0,4%), avec deux canaux (91,3%). Une racine a été observée dans de nombreuses deuxièmes prémolaires maxillaires (79,8 %). Cependant, deux canaux radiculaires (53,55 %) étaient plus fréquents qu’un canal (44,2 %). Trois racines et trois canaux ont rarement été repérés dans les premières (0,4 %, 0,4 %) et les deuxièmes prémolaires maxillaires (2,3 %, 2,3 %). Une racine avec un canal était localisée respectivement le plus fréquemment dans la première (99,2 %, 84,5 %) et la deuxième prémolaire mandibulaire (100 %, 88,6 %), bien que deux canaux soient moins fréquents (15,5 %, 11,4 %). Des prémolaires avec une anatomie complexe du canal radiculaire ont été trouvées avec une prévalence de 16,2% allant du type II, III et de V à VIII. Les résultats ont également montré des différences entre les sexes : les hommes avaient remarquablement plus de racines et de canaux radiculaires dans leurs premières prémolaires maxillaires que les femmes (P \u3c 0,05). Aucune différence statistique n’a été observée entre les paires prémolaires controlatérales (P ³ .5). Conclusion Au sein de cette sous-population libanaise, les prémolaires maxillaires et mandibulaires présentaient de grandes variations dans la morphologie des racines et des canaux radiculaires, et une symétrie entre les paires controlatérales. Ces résultats susciteraient un intérêt clinique pour les praticiens et les chercheurs. Mots-clés : CBCT, prémolaires mandibulaires, prémolaires maxillaires, anatomie canalaire, configuration canalaire, symétrie, sexe

Descriptive assessment of graduates' perceptions of pharmacy-related competencies based on the Lebanese pharmacy core competencies framework

Background: Pharmacists possess a unique and complex body of knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to enable them to optimize health outcomes. Pharmacy organizations publish routinely updated versions of professional competencies that help pharmacy schools integrate advances into their curricula. In Lebanon, no national framework for pharmacy education is officially adopted yet. In 2017, the Official Pharmacists’ Association in Lebanon [OPL - Order of Pharmacists of Lebanon] took the initiative to develop a pharmacy core competency framework. Objective: The primary objective of this survey was to evaluate graduates' perceptions of pharmacy-related competencies “taught” across Lebanese pharmacy schools/faculties, based on the suggested Lebanese Pharmacy Competencies Framework. This study also explored the association between graduates' demographics, university attributes, and self-assessed competency performance. Methods: A cross-sectional study involving pharmacists who graduated from Lebanese universities was performed through a 40-minute online questionnaire distributed over social media platforms and groups of pharmacists. Results: Pharmacists perceived their competence as moderate upon graduation, the lowest scores being in fundamental knowledge and medicine supply; the highest reported scores were in personal skills and safe/rational use of medicines. Moreover, females, younger graduates, PharmD holders, and pharmacists working in hospitals/clinical settings and academia had the highest perception of their competencies. Pharmacists in the public sector and medical laboratory directors had the lowest perception of competence. Conclusions: When comparing the taught curriculum to the suggested Lebanese Pharmacy Competency Framework, all domains need to be improved to optimize the perception, education, and practice of pharmacists. It is essential to emphasize fundamental knowledge, medicines supply, and public health competencies in undergraduate curricula and improve continuing professional education

Smoking and COVID-19: A Scoping Review

International audienceSmoking affects a person’s overall health and damages nearly every organ of the body. Since smoking tobacco affects and damages the lungs, it increases the risk of respiratory infections and makes it easier for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) to invade the lung tissue, causing more severe symptoms and increasing the risk of death. However, debates are still ongoing as to the effect of cigarette smoking on vulnerability to COVID-19. Some studies, where active smokers were underrepresented among patients with COVID-19, claimed that a “smoker’s paradox” may exist in COVID-19 and that smokers are protected from infection and severe complications of COVID-19. However, other studies reported the opposite trend. The objective of this study is to review the findings of epidemiological and in vitro studies about the association between smoking and the risk of contracting COVID-19, taking into account disease severity. Several epidemiological studies have found a higher smoking prevalence among COVID-19 infected patients. Also, studies had shown that people with respiratory diseases caused by tobacco use are at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 symptoms. Studies have shown that in vitro, the acute exposure allows for more severe proximal airway epithelial disease from SARS-CoV-2 by reducing the mucosal innate immune response and the proliferation of airway basal stem cells and has implications for disease spread and severity in people exposed to cigarette smoke, with a more severe viral infection and cell death. Smoker patients with different comorbidities are at higher risk of contracting the COVID-19 virus and have a worse prognosis for the virus as well as for their comorbidities. Further investigations of the interaction between smoking and COVID-19 are warranted to accurately assess the risk of contracting COVID-19 among smokers, and the progression to mechanical ventilation or death in patients who suffer from it

Nutrition and Food Literacy in the MENA Region: A Review to Inform Nutrition Research and Policy Makers

Background: Improving food and nutrition literacy is fundamental to tackling the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region’s enormous challenges, including malnutrition and food insecurity. To direct initiatives, it is crucial to assess the region’s food and nutrition literacy. Thus, we aimed to review studies on food/nutrition literacy status in the MENA countries and illuminate the region’s research gaps in these areas, in terms of assessment, policy, and program implementation. Methods: PubMed and Google Scholar databases were searched between 18 December and 8 May 2022, to identify relevant articles published up to 2022 in the MENA region. Results: Twelve studies were included in this review. Lebanon, Palestine, and Iran are the only three MENA countries where nutrition and/or food literacy were assessed. People in these countries mostly had inadequate food and/or nutrition literacy levels, especially in the skills rather than the cognitive domain. Food and/or nutrition literacy showed associations with food habits, food-label use, food-consumption patterns, school performance, food security, dietary diversity, and nutrient adequacy. The MENA countries developed no policies or programs to address food and nutrition literacy. Conclusion: This review is a wake-up call for researchers and policymakers to develop a robust approach to combat food and nutrition literacy concerns in the MENA region

Factors associated with wheezing among Lebanese children: Results of a cross-sectional study

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The self-assessment scale of cognitive complaints in Schizophrenia: validation of the Arabic version among a sample of lebanese patients

International audienceAbstract Background Several subjective scales have been used to measure cognitive complaints in patients with schizophrenia, such as the Self-Assessment Scale of Cognitive Complaints in Schizophrenia (SASCCS), which was designed to be clear, simple, and easy to use. This study aimed to examine the ability of SASCCS as a validated tool to collect and assess subjective cognitive complaints of patients with schizophrenia. Methods A cross-sectional study among 120 patients with schizophrenia was performed between July 2019 and Mars 2020 at the Psychiatric Hospital of the Cross, Lebanon. The SASCCS was used to assess how patients with schizophrenia perceived their cognitive impairment. Results The internal consistency of the SASCCS scale was 0.911, and the intra-class correlation coefficient was 0.81 (p < 0.001), suggesting a good stability over time. The factor analysis of the SASCCS scale showed a 5-factor solution using the Varimax rotated matrix. The SASCCS total score positively correlated with their own factors. A negative correlation was found between the objective cognitive scale and subjective cognitive complaints, which were positively correlated with clinical symptoms and depression. No significant association was found between insight and subjective cognitive complaints. Conclusion The SASCCS scale showed appropriate psychometric properties, with high internal consistency, good construct validity, and adequate concurrent validity, which makes it valuable for the evaluation of subjective cognitive complaints in patients with schizophrenia

Mandatory continuing education for pharmacists in a developing country: assessment of a three-year cycle

Background: In Lebanon, mandatory continuing education (CE) for pharmacists was implemented in January 2014. Objective: The objectives of this study are to assess 1) the overall adherence to the mandatory CE program, 2) pharmacists’ preferences related to CE, and 3) barriers to adherence to CE. Methods: By the end of October 2017, an evaluation of pharmacists’ participation in the mandatory CE program was conducted using electronic reports available in the Learning Management System (LMS). Descriptive results were presented as frequencies and percentages. In addition, a cross-sectional survey was conducted among pharmacists to better understand their preferences and barriers to their participation to the CE program. Finally, a focus group was organized with pharmacists who did not start their CE. Results: Out of all registered pharmacists in Lebanon, 68.30% started their CE and 25.6% already achieved their required credits. Among pharmacists enrolled in the CE system, the majority (69%) used the online courses at least once. Moreover, CE enrolment was similar among old and young pharmacists except for those newly registered. The majority of pharmacists preferred clinical and pharmacological topics, followed by preventive medicine and transferable skills. Barriers to engaging in CE were mainly work and family obligations, lack of interest, lack of time, and difficulties in commuting and technology use. Conclusion: Although results of the present study are similar to those in developing countries, the resistance to change is higher. The Lebanese Pharmacists Association [Ordre des Pharmaciens du Liban] should develop strategies to motivate and enroll more pharmacists in the CE system, based on the barriers and preferences cited in the results, while continuing to offer high quality and cost-favorable CE programs to Lebanese pharmacists

Validation of the Arabic version of the “12-item short-form health survey” (SF-12) in a sample of Lebanese adults

International audienceAbstract Background In clinical practice, quality of life measures can be used alongside some types of assessment to give valuable information that can identify areas that influence an individual and help the clinician make the best healthcare choices. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the 12-item short-form health survey (SF-12) in a sample of Lebanese adults. Methods This cross-sectional study performed between July and November 2019 recruited 269 participants. Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess the reliability of the SF-12 questionnaire, and a factor analysis using the principal component analysis was performed to confirm its construct validity. Results The mean score for the “physical component summary (PCS-12)” was 50.27 ± 8.94 (95 % CI: 49.18–51.36) and for the “Mental component summary (MCS-12)” was 44.95 ± 12.17 (95 % CI: 43.47–46.43). A satisfactory Cronbach’s alpha was found for the two components: MCS (α = 0.707) and PCS (α = 0.743). The principal component analysis converged over a two-factor solution (physical and mental), explaining a total variance of 55.75 %. Correlations between the SF-12 scales and single items were significant, showing a good construct validity. The “physical functioning”, “role physical”, “bodily pain”, and “general health” subscales were highly associated with “PCS-12”, while the “vitality”, “social functioning”, “role emotional”, and “mental health” subscales were more associated with MCS-12. Conclusions The Arabic version of the SF-12 is a reliable, easy-to-use, and valid tool to measure health-related quality of life in the general population. Future studies using a larger sample size and focusing on questionnaire psychometric properties are necessary to confirm our findings

Knowledge and attitude toward waterpipe smoking: scale validation and correlates in the Lebanese adult population

International audienceThe World Health Organization declared waterpipe smoking as a growing public health concern. Our study aimed to assess waterpipe smoking knowledge and attitude among current waterpipe smokers in comparison with nonsmokers and to evaluate its association with current and cumulative waterpipe smoking. A cross-sectional study was carried between May and December 2018 using a multistage cluster sample across Lebanon. Nonsmokers or exclusive current waterpipe smokers were eligible to participate. A total of 4046 adult individuals participated in the study, 38.3% (n = 1550) being current waterpipe smokers. Current waterpipe smoking was positively associated with female gender [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.79, 95%CI 1.40-2.28] and having a mother who is a regular smoker (aOR 1.47, 95%CI 1.15-1.88) while it was negatively associated with better knowledge about waterpipe smoking harm (aOR 0.95, 95%CI 0.93-0.97) and positive attitude toward waterpipe smoking ban (aOR 0.98, 95%CI 0.96-0.99). Cumulative waterpipe smoking was negatively associated with female gender (β = - 0.012), higher education level (β = - 0.28), and positive attitude toward WPS ban (β = - 0.06). Waterpipe smoking is largely present among the Lebanese population, with waterpipe smokers showing lower knowledge about harm and more intolerant attitude about banning. Health awareness supported by media campaigns and governmental initiatives should be conducted to educate people and change their perceptions regarding waterpipe smoking