METHODS: This cross-sectional survey was conducted in Rawalpindi, Pakistan from March 1 to August 31, 2023. A total of 150 parents (79 fathers and 71 mothers) of children aged 0-12 years were recruited through convenience sampling at public locations such as schools, malls, and hospitals. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using the validated "Parental Knowledge and Attitudes towards Childhood Hearing Loss Questionnaire," administered by a graduate student to assess parental knowledge and attitudes about childhood hearing loss. Descriptive statistics determined the percentage of correct responses and knowledge/attitudes scores. Chi-square tests explored associations between demographic factors and parental perspectives.
RESULTS: Overall, 67.3% of parents demonstrated good knowledge of childhood hearing loss. Notably, parents scored high on recognizing congenital causes (79.3%) but displayed low awareness of measles as a risk factor (29.3%). Significant gender disparities emerged in parental knowledge, with mothers exhibiting superior knowledge compared to fathers regarding newborn screening (63.4% vs. 46.8%), treatment availability (81.7% vs. 64.6%), and educational inclusion for children with hearing impairment (57.7% vs. 38.0%). Despite these knowledge gaps, parents generally held positive attitudes towards childhood hearing loss, with an average score of 94.7%. Gender and educational level significantly influence knowledge and attitudes.
CONCLUSIONS: Although parents in Rawalpindi generally have a good understanding and positive attitudes towards childhood hearing loss, gaps in knowledge about preventable causes and gender disparities need attention. Providing tailored counselling for higher-risk, less educated groups and expanding policies for paediatric audiology services nationwide can help address these issues.
AIMS: This study aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes and practicality of immediately transferring stable STEMI patients back to their originating hospitals within 2 h postprimary PCI, within the Serdang STEMI Network. Specifically, it seeks to assess the in-hospital mortality rate and 30-day major adverse cardiac events (MACE) among these patients to determine the safety and feasibility of this novel early transfer strategy.
METHODS: This retrospective cohort study involved 1374 STEMI patients participating in the Serdang STEMI network from May 2015 to December 2022, including 570 patients admitted directly to Hospital Sultan Idris Shah, Serdang (HSIS) and 804 transferred from non-PCI centers.
RESULTS: Of the 804 transferred patients, 415 (52%) were transferred back to referring hospitals within 2 h of PPCI. These patients met specific criteria including hemodynamic stability, absence of procedural complications, and fit for transfer at the discretion of the attending cardiologist. The primary outcomes measured were in-hospital and 30-day mortality rates, as well as major adverse cardiac events (MACE). MACE was defined as a composite of death, myocardial infarction, stroke, or repeat revascularization. In the early return group, there was no in-hospital or 30-day mortality. No patient required repeat revascularization or readmission within 30 days.
CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that carefully selected patients can be safely returned to their originating hospitals very early following successful PPCI. These findings have important implications for large regional STEMI networks worldwide, particularly in areas where PPCI centers may have limited resources to handle high STEMI volumes.