NEEDLE STICK INJURIES AMONG DENTAL STUDENTS IN ISHIK UNIVERSITY FACULTY OF DENTISTRY AND HAWLER MEDICAL COLLEGE

Background and objectives: Needle stick injuries pose a high risk to health care workers including dental students. They represent a major risk factor for transmitting blood borne pathogens including hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus and human immunodeficiency virus. Needles of syringes are the most commonly identified sharp object causing the injuries. Therefore, this study conducted to determine the prevalence of needle stick injuries among dental students in Ishik university facualty of dentistry and Hawler medical college. Aim and objectives of the study: The study aimed were to: 1. Find out the prevalence of NSI among dental student in Erbil cityIraq. 2. The percentage of dental students that had taken Hep B vaccine. 3. Study the knowledge of dental students regarding NSI. Subjects and method: The study was a cross sectional in nature, 114 students from Ishik University and Hawler Medical University Collage of Dentistry and data collections were done from the 1st of Dec till 2 of Feb 2018. Later on, data analysis and writing the thesis completed in May up to June, 2018. A questionnaire was completed through direct interview of the study students to measure their knowledge and practice about needle sticks injuries. All the obtained information including prevalence of needle sticks injuries, within previous 12 months, time of injury, and training on needle stick injury, knowledge, practice and attitude about needle sticks was then analyzed using statistical package for the social science software version 21. Results: The mean age of the participants was 22. The results of the study demonstrated that the prevalence of needle stick injury during past 12 months among dental students was 47,4%. Needle stick injury happened after using the needle in 35.2%, while in re-capping the needle occur in 27,8% and around 41.2% of the samples have precautions regarding NSI. Conclusion: The dental student had taken hepatitis B vaccine in a high percentage, while the prevalence of NSI was high and male showed higher prevalence than female. Training course regarding the precaution and management of NSI may need to be added to the curriculum of dental students

The effect of body mass index on tooth eruption and dental caries

Background: Children were compared to their siblings, cousins or peers regarding the eruption of their permanent teeth. Genetic and environmental factors can affect dental development and, therefore, the body mass index (BMI) could be considered as a factor that may influence dental development. Purpose: To determine any possible association between BMI and either dental caries or the eruption of permanent teeth (central incisor and molar). Methods: A cross-sectional study was completed for six-year-old school children. A total of 218 children (116 boys, 102 girls) from public elementary schools in Erbil City were entered into the study. Dental caries assessments were carried out using the WHO criteria for decayed, missing and filled primary teeth and indices (DMFT). BMI was used to classify obesity status. Results: Overall, 27.98% of the children were classified as overweight, 59.17% as normal and 12.84% as underweight. The DMFT was 5.247, while 12.39% of the children were caries-free. Conclusions: Children of normal weight had most permanent teeth erupted and a low caries index. Underweight children had fewer erupted teeth and a higher caries index. The complex relationship between body composition and oral health should be considered in paediatric patients

The Smoking Prevalence Among University Students in Erbil City/ Iraq

Background and objectives: To assess the prevalence of smoking among university in Erbil city in relation to gender, also the difference in brushing between the two groups (smoker and non-smoker students). Methods: a cross sectional survey were planned to consist of 600 students from 3 different universities (Hawler Medical University, Tishk International University and Salahaddin University) with an age range 17-25 years old. Results: The prevalence of smoking was 33.1% and those smoking students smoked Hookah in about 47.2%, while 39.2% smoked cigarettes and 13.6% of them smoked Vipe. Prevalence of brushing among smokers and non-smokers were approximately the same (98.5%- 98.3%) respectively. Conclusions: the prevalence of smokers was nearly one third of students. Male smokers were more than female. Hookah used mainly by the students than the other types. Prevalence of brushing teeth was approximately the same among both groups. Nearly three-fourth of the students among smokers and non-smokers did not have bad breath

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely