Households’ preparedness for first-aid of burns and falls in Khartoum

Reports of natural disasters and injuries have increased in recent years in both low and high-income regions. Household emergency preparedness can limit the effects of not only natural disasters but also simple injuries. Little is known regarding the level of emergency preparedness in Sudan households. Method: A cross sectional community based survey was conducted in the Alemtidad region of Sudan between September 2012 and December 2012. A random selection of 89 households was done from 3200 in the region as per power calculation. Data were collected using a structured designed questionnaire and analysed using the statistical package for social science (SPSS) program version 20 and demographics were presented accordingly. Result: Less than half of households surveyed had any first aid supplies and most of these supplies were incomplete. Only 66% of housewives demonstrated knowledge about first aid for burns and falls, 88% took preventive measures against burns and falls and 51% had an action plan in case serious injury occurred. Knowledge levels of housewives reflect unacceptable levels of preparedness. Education is a significant predictor of preparedness. Conclusion: Household emergency preparedness is poor. It can be encouraged by community based outreach and education programmes focused on prevention and treatment of common injuries

Factors Affecting Utilization of Family Planning Services in a Post-Conflict Setting, South Sudan: A Qualitative Study

This study aims to explore and examine the conjectures surrounding the utilization of family planning services among currently married couples of childbearing age in Renk County.This study has adopted a qualitative method to collect data on factors affecting the utilization of family planning services through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, in rural and urban areas of Renk County. It targeted married women, men as well as unmarried men and women. The researchers conducted nine focus group discussions and nine interviews at both Jelhak (rural setting) and Renk (urban setting). The results suggested that the people of Renk County prefer to have large families and therefore choose not to use family planning methods. The data collected was analyzed by means of thematic analysis. This included the construction of a thematic framework, coding, editing and categorization of available data as well as the creation of sub-themes.The result also suggested that perception is a main factor that affects utilization of family planning services with a majority of the people in Renk and Jelhak preferring to have many children in order to increase the family size for some reasons. These are linked to religion, social stigma and taboo that are attached to childless people or users of family planning methods for birth control purposes.The responses revealed some variation in perception between rural (Jelhak) and urban (Renk) areas. Respondents from Renk area reported that some people use family planning services for economic reasons that involve alleviation of financial difficulties and provision of better education when the family size is small. On the other hand, rural people from Jelhak perceive family planning to be socially un-acceptable. Furthermore, men and women of Jelhak reported that after each birth of a child, married couples avoid sexual relationship for a period of two years as means of family planning. Women of both Urban and Rural settings reported intentions to use conventional methods of family planning without the knowledge of their spouses

Lengths and Positions of the Vermiform Appendix among Sudanese Cadavers

Background/objective: The anatomy of vermiform appendix displays great variations in length and position between different populations. The reports relating these variations to a specific etiological factor are few. This study aims to describe the positions and lengths of vermiform appendix among Sudanese cadavers. Methods: This descriptive study was carried out in Omdurman Teaching Hospital Morgue and Omdurman Islamic University-Sudan. Sixty Sudanese cadavers (30 male and 30 female), were dissected in the period from June 2013 to June 2014. The positions and the lengths of vermiform appendix were measured in millimeters. The data was analyzed by SPSS version 20. Results: The cadavers’ age ranged between 20 to 80 years according to their medico-legal reports. Retrocaecal position was mainly observed in 60%, pelvic in 35%, post-ileal in 3.3%, and pre-ileal in 1.7%. The lengths of the appendix was found < 69 mm in 23.3%, 70-110 mm in 60%, and > 110 mm in 16.7%, also the study showed insignificant difference between the lengths and ages (p < 0.08), and between males and females (p = 0.23). Age was the influencing factor for the positions of vermiform appendixes (p = 0.04). Conclusion: The study showed that the commonest lengths of the appendix were 70-110 mm while the common position was retrocaecal regardless to age or gender. This data should be considered in surgical removal of the inflamed appendix