Public Awareness Toward Healthy Life: Sample from Iraqi Community 2020

Background: People must develop a healthy lifestyle to have a longer and healthier life. Objective: to study the Public awareness toward healthy life of Iraqi community, and it relation with some of demographic variables. Method & persons: A cross-sectional study conducted from 20th June – 20th September 2022, through online questionnaire (google form) distributed through any available channels (e-mails, Viber, Chat, Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook groups) Results: Nine hundred and fifty-six Iraqi persons enrolled in this study, with age mean and standard deviation 32.67± 11.954; the highest percentage of participants 589(51.2%) aged ≤ 29 years, females 577(60.4%), currently married 480(50.2%), medical & health field worker 458(47.9%), while all the non- medical persons 498, (52.1%), {students 212(22.2%), government non-medical worker 146(15.3%). most of the participants 812(84.9%) had once to twice brushing their teeth, and 408(42.7%) had sometimes using Dental floss, while 376(39.3%) of them never using dental floss, and only 39(41.1%)of the participant had regular teeth examination also good overall teeth health only in 387(40.5%). Acceptant-lifestyle 767(80.2%), and only 15(1.6%) had food & water intake poor lifestyle, while in overall-checkup the majority had poor overall-checkup 561(58.7%), then acceptable overall checkup 290(30.3%). Conclusion: Most of the participant had acceptance lifestyle in concerned food and water but had poor Overall checkup for vision, teeth, blood pressure, sugar, lipid and Regular doctor checkup in general

Practice & Opinion of Doctors in Hospitals toward Referral System in Iraq

Background: Primary Health care (PHC) is unanimous to be the cornerstone of a person-centered health system. While the adoption of a well-function, two-way, and organized referral system is the mainstay in the development of an efficient healthcare delivery system.   Objective: To Assess the practice & opinion of doctors in the hospitals toward the referral system.  to determine the doctors in the hospital's commitment to referral system instructions and guidelines. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study with analytic elements was conducted in nine Iraqi governorates. Eight doctors from each health directorate, resulting in a total of 72 doctors using a specially designed questionnaire. Statistical analysis was done by using SPSS, the P≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: of the total 72 physicians, 31(43.1%) aged 40-49years, 48(66.7%) were males, and 58(80.6%) were specialists., 58 doctors (80.6%) had no coordination with the PHC-doctors, the same percentage considered the current referral system is ineffective. PHC patients-crowded, doctors-shortage were the causes of inadequately filling PHC-part of the referral form. And PHC-hospital doctors-coordination had a significant association with their age, gender, and their thinking about adequate filling. Conclusion: despite the importance of the referral system, half of the doctors disagreed about the current referral system’s effectiveness; & most of them had no coordination with the PHC-doctors. PHC crowded/doctors’ shortage the main causes of inadequate filling PHC part of referral-form.       الملخص: الخلفية: تعتبر الرعاية الصحية الأولية بالإجماع حجر الزاوية في نظام صحي يركز على المريض. في حين أن اعتماد نظام إحالة جيد ثنائي الاتجاه ومنظم هو الدعامة الأساسية في تطوير نظام فعال لتقديم الرعاية الصحية. الهدف: تقييم ممارسة ورأي الأطباء في المستشفيات تجاه نظام الإحالة. كذلك لتحديد مدى التزام الأطباء في المستشفى بتعليمات وإرشادات نظام الإحالة. طريقة البحث: أجريت دراسة مقطعية مع عناصر تحليلية في تسع محافظات عراقية. ثمانية أطباء من كل مديرية صحية ، مما أدى إلى ااشتراك 72 طبيبًا في استبيان مصمم خصيصًا للبحث. تم إجراء التحليل الإحصائي باستخدام SPSS ، واعتبر P≤0.05 ذو دلالة إحصائية. النتائج: من إجمالي 72 طبيبًا ، 31 (43.1٪) تتراوح أعمارهم بين 40-49 عامًا ، 48 (66.7٪) من الذكورو 58 (80.6٪) من المتخصصين. ، 58 (80.6٪) منهم ليس لديهم اي تنسيق مع أطباء الرعاية الصحية الأولية. و بنفس النسبة يعتبرون نظام الإحالة الحالي غير فعال. ازدحام المرضى في المراكز ونقص الأطباء هي اهم أسباب نقص ملأ نموذج الإحالة الخاص باطباءالمراكز الصحية بشكل مناسب. وكان لتنسيق أطباء مستشفى الرعاية الصحية الأولية علاقة كبيرة مع العمر والجنس وتفكيرهم في الملأ االنموذجي. الخلاصة: بالرغم من أهمية نظام الإحالة ، اختلف نصف الأطباء حول فعالية نظام الإحالة الحالي. ومعظمهم ليس لديهم اي تنسيق مع أطباء المراكز الصحية. ازدحام الرعاية الصحية الأولية / نقص الأطباء اهم الأسباب الرئيسية لضعف ملأ نموذج الإحالة.  

Data from: Injuries, death, and disability associated with 11 years of conflict in Baghdad, Iraq: a randomized household cluster survey

Background: The objective of this study was to characterize injuries, deaths, and disabilities arising during 11 years of conflict in Baghdad. Methods: Using satellite imagery and administrative population estimated size for Baghdad, 30 clusters were selected, proportionate to population size estimates. Interviews were conducted during April and May 2014 in 900 households containing 5148 persons. Details about injuries and disabilities occurring from 2003 through May 2014 and resultant disabilities were recorded. Findings: There were 553 injuries reported by Baghdad residents, 225 of which were intentional, and 328 unintentional. For intentional injuries, the fatality rate was 39.1% and the disability rate 56.0%. Gunshots where the major cause of injury through 2006 when blasts/explosions became the most common cause and remained so through 2014. Among unintentional injuries, the fatality rate was 7.3% and the disability rate 77.1%. The major cause of unintentional injuries was falls (131) which have increased dramatically since 2008, followed by traffic related injuries (81), which have steadily increased. The proportion of injuries ending in disabilities remained fairly constant through the survey period. Interpretation: Intentional injuries added substantially to the burden of unintentional injuries for the population. For Baghdad, the phases of the Iraqi conflict are reflected in the patterns of injuries and consequent deaths reported. The scale of injuries during conflict is most certainly under-reported. Difficulties recalling injuries in a survey covering 11 years is a limitation, but it is likely that minor injuries were under-reported more than severe injuries. The in- and out-migration of Baghdad populations likely had effects on the events reported which we could not measure or estimate. Damage to the health infrastructure and the flight of health workers may have contributed to mortality and morbidity. Civilian injuries as well as mortality should be measured during conflicts, though not currently done

Sex Differences in Civilian Injury in Baghdad From 2003 to 2014: Results of a Randomized Household Cluster Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To examine sex differences in injury mechanisms, injury-related death, injury-related disability, and associated financial consequences in Baghdad since the 2003 invasion of Iraq to inform prevention initiatives, health policy, and relief planning. BACKGROUND: Reliable estimates of injury burden among civilians during conflict are lacking, particularly among vulnerable subpopulations, such as women. METHODS: A 2-stage, cluster randomized, community-based household survey was conducted in May 2014 to determine the civilian burden of injury in Baghdad since 2003. Households were surveyed regarding injury mechanisms, healthcare required, disability, deaths, connection to conflict, and resultant financial hardship. RESULTS: We surveyed 900 households (5148 individuals), reporting 553 injuries, 162 (29%) of which were injuries among women. The mean age of injury was higher among women compared with men (34 ± 21.3 vs 27 ± 16.5 years; P \u3c 0.001). More women than men were injured while in the home [104 (64%) vs 82 (21%); P \u3c 0.001]. Fewer women than men died from injuries [11 (6.8%) vs 77 (20%); P \u3c 0.001]; however, women were more likely than men to live with reduced function [101 (63%) vs 192 (49%); P = 0.005]. Of intentional injuries, women had higher rates of injury by shell fragments (41% vs 26%); more men were injured by gunshots [76 (41%) vs 6 (17.6%); P = .011). CONCLUSIONS: Women experienced fewer injuries than men in postinvasion Baghdad, but were more likely to suffer disability after injury. Efforts to improve conditions for injured women should focus on mitigating financial and provisional hardships, providing counseling services, and ensuring access to rehabilitation services

Mortality in Iraq Associated with the 2003–2011 War and Occupation: Findings from a National Cluster Sample Survey by the University Collaborative Iraq Mortality Study

Background Previous estimates of mortality in Iraq attributable to the 2003 invasion have been heterogeneous and controversial, and none were produced after 2006. The purpose of this research was to estimate direct and indirect deaths attributable to the war in Iraq between 2003 and 2011. Methods and Findings We conducted a survey of 2,000 randomly selected households throughout Iraq, using a two-stage cluster sampling method to ensure the sample of households was nationally representative. We asked every household head about births and deaths since 2001, and all household adults about mortality among their siblings. We used secondary data sources to correct for out-migration. From March 1, 2003, to June 30, 2011, the crude death rate in Iraq was 4.55 per 1,000 person-years (95% uncertainty interval 3.74–5.27), more than 0.5 times higher than the death rate during the 26-mo period preceding the war, resulting in approximately 405,000 (95% uncertainty interval 48,000–751,000) excess deaths attributable to the conflict. Among adults, the risk of death rose 0.7 times higher for women and 2.9 times higher for men between the pre-war period (January 1, 2001, to February 28, 2003) and the peak of the war (2005–2006). We estimate that more than 60% of excess deaths were directly attributable to violence, with the rest associated with the collapse of infrastructure and other indirect, but war-related, causes. We used secondary sources to estimate rates of death among emigrants. Those estimates suggest we missed at least 55,000 deaths that would have been reported by households had the households remained behind in Iraq, but which instead had migrated away. Only 24 households refused to participate in the study. An additional five households were not interviewed because of hostile or threatening behavior, for a 98.55% response rate. The reliance on outdated census data and the long recall period required of participants are limitations of our study. Conclusions Beyond expected rates, most mortality increases in Iraq can be attributed to direct violence, but about a third are attributable to indirect causes (such as from failures of health, sanitation, transportation, communication, and other systems). Approximately a half million deaths in Iraq could be attributable to the war

Iraq Injury Data

Iraq Injury Dat

Injury, Disability and Death Rates by Age 2003–2014.

<p>Data from 2014 limited to first 3 to 5 months.</p

Intentional and unintentional injuries by year and type, 2003–2014.^*

<p>*Data from 2014 limited to first 3 to 5 months.</p><p>Intentional and unintentional injuries by year and type, 2003–2014.^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0131834#t004fn001" target="_blank">*</a>}</p

Household Composition and Injury by Age, Sex and Education, 2003–2014.^*

<p>*Data from 2014 limited to first 3 to 5 months.</p><p>Household Composition and Injury by Age, Sex and Education, 2003–2014.^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0131834#t002fn001" target="_blank">*</a>}</p

Total injuries, injury rates per 1000 years of exposure and by type of injury, 2003–2014.^*

<p>*Data from 2014 limited to first 3 to 5 months.</p><p>Total injuries, injury rates per 1000 years of exposure and by type of injury, 2003–2014.^{<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0131834#t003fn001" target="_blank">*</a>}</p