METHODS: Seven single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IKZF1, three SNPs in DDC, two SNPs in CDKN2A, two SNPs in CEBPE, and three SNPs in LMO1 were genotyped in 289 Yemeni children (136 cases and 153 controls), using the nanofluidic Dynamic Array (Fluidigm 192.24 Dynamic Array). Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate ALL risk, and the strength of association was expressed as odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals.
RESULTS: We found that the IKZF1 SNP rs10235796 C allele (p = 0.002), the IKZF1 rs6964969 A>G polymorphism (p = 0.048, GG vs. AA), the CDKN2A rs3731246 G>C polymorphism (p = 0.047, GC+CC vs. GG), and the CDKN2A SNP rs3731246 C allele (p = 0.007) were significantly associated with ALL in Yemenis of Arab-Asian descent. In addition, a borderline association was found between IKZF1 rs4132601 T>G variant and ALL risk. No associations were found between the IKZF1 SNPs (rs11978267; rs7789635), DDC SNPs (rs3779084; rs880028; rs7809758), CDKN2A SNP (rs3731217), the CEBPE SNPs (rs2239633; rs12434881) and LMO1 SNPs (rs442264; rs3794012; rs4237770) with ALL in Yemeni children.
CONCLUSION: The IKZF1 SNPs, rs10235796 and rs6964969, and the CDKN2A SNP rs3731246 (previously unreported) could serve as risk markers for ALL susceptibility in Yemeni children.
METHODS: One hundred and fifty periodontitis cases and 150 healthy controls, all Yemeni adults 30-60 years old, were recruited. Sociodemographic data and history of oral hygiene practices and oral habits were obtained. Plaque index (PI) was measured on index teeth. Periodontal health status was assessed using Community Periodontal Index (CPI) and Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL) according to WHO. Periodontitis was defined as having one or more sextants with a CPI score ≥ 3. Multiple logistic regression modelling was employed to identify distal, intermediate and proximal determinants of periodontitis, while ordinal regression was used to identify those of CAL scores.
RESULTS: In logistic regression, PI score was associated with the highest odds of periodontitis (OR = 82.9) followed by cigarette smoking (OR = 12.8), water pipe smoking (OR = 10.2), male gender (OR = 3.4) and age (OR = 1.19); on the other hand, regular visits to the dentist (OR = 0.05), higher level of education (OR = 0.37) and daily dental flossing (OR = 0.95) were associated with lower odds. Somewhat similar associations were seen for CAL scores (ordinal regression); however, qat chewing was identified as an additional determinant (OR = 4.69).
CONCLUSION: Water pipe smoking is identified as a risk factor of periodontitis in this cohort in addition to globally known risk factors. Adjusted effect of qat chewing is limited to CAL scores, suggestive of association with recession.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between khat and occlusal caries progression.
Methods: A cohort study was carried out among 98 Yemeni khat chewers and 101 non-chewers aged 18-35 years old with early occlusal caries lesions. All participants answered questions on socio-demographic, khat , oral hygiene , sugar intake, and oral health knowledge at baseline. All posterior teeth with an early enamel lesion on occlusal surfaces detected by visual inspection at baseline were also subjected to DIAGNOdent assessment to confirm early lesion (DIAGNOdent reading 13-24). Participants were re-examined after 12 weeks. Caries progression was considered to occur when the DIAGNOdent reading was >25. Data were analyzed using Relative risk, Mann-Whitney U test, a Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test and logistic regression analysis.
Results: Occlusal caries progression incidence between khat chewers and non-chewers, with the relative risk was 1.68. There was no significant difference in occlusal caries progression on chewing side and non-chewing side among khat chewers. Khat chewing was a statistical predictor for those with low income.
Conclusion: Khat is a risk factor for occlusion caries progression among low income group.
METHODS: In a community-based study, faecal samples were collected from 605 participants and examined by wet mount, formalin-ether sedimentation, trichrome staining and nested multiplex PCR techniques. Demographic, socio-economic and environmental information was collected using a pre-tested questionnaire.
RESULTS: Overall, 324 (53.6%) of the samples were positive for Entamoeba cysts and/or trophozoites by microscopic examination. Molecular analysis revealed that 20.2%, 15.7% and 18.2% of the samples were positive for E. histolytica, E. dispar and E. moshkovskii, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed different sets of species-specific risk factors among these communities. Educational level was identified as the significant risk factor for E. histolytica; age and gender were the significant risk factors for E. moshkovskii; and sources of drinking water and consumption of unwashed vegetables were the significant risk factors for E. dispar. Moreover, living in coastal/foothill areas and presence of other infected family members were risk factors for both E. histolytica and E. moshkovskii infections.
CONCLUSION: The study reveals that Entamoeba spp. infection is highly prevalent among rural communities in Yemen, with E. histolytica, E. dispar and E. moshkovskii differentiated for the first time. Identifying and treating infected family members, providing health education pertinent to good personal and food hygiene practices and providing clean drinking water should be considered in developing a strategy to control intestinal parasitic infections in these communities, particularly in the coastal/foothill areas of the country.
METHODS: Healthcare workers (HCWs) from major healthcare facilities participated in this cross-sectional study. A self-administered questionnaire comprising of five main domains (demographics, knowledge, self-preparedness, counselling practice, perceived barriers) was distributed among HCWs after obtaining informed consent. A convenient sampling technique was used. Descriptive and inferential analyses were applied using SPSS software.
RESULTS: A total of 1000 participants were initially targeted to participate in the study with 514 (51.4%) responding, of which 55.3% were female. Physicians and nurses constituted the largest proportion of participants, with 39.5% and 33.3%, respectively. The median scores for knowledge, self-preparedness, and counselling practice were 8 (out of 9), 9 (out of 15), and 25 (out of 30), respectively. The physician group showed a statistically significant association with better knowledge compared to the nurse group only, P<0.001. Males had higher preparedness scores than females, p<0.001. Also, the intensive care unit (ICU) and emergency departments presented a statistically significant difference by which the participants from these departments were more prepared compared to the others (e.g. outpatients, paediatrics and surgery) with P < 0.0001. The lack of awareness among the general population about COVID-19 preventive measures was perceived as the most common barrier for the adequate prevention and control of COVID-19 in Yemen (89.1%).
CONCLUSION: The major highlight of this study is that HCWs have, overall, good knowledge, suboptimal preparedness, and adequate counselling practices prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 in Yemen, despite the high number of perceived barriers. However, urgent action and interventions are needed to improve the preparedness of HCWs to manage COVID-19. The perceived barriers also need to be fully addressed by the local healthcare authorities and international organisations working in Yemen for adequate prevention and control measures to be in place in managing COVID-19.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted between November 2020 and January 2021. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 350 physicians (GPs, residents, specialists, and consultants). Two trained pharmacists distributed the questionnaires in 5 major tertiary governmental hospitals and more than ten private hospitals. Also, private clinics were targeted so that we get a representative sample of physicians at different workplaces.
RESULTS: A total of 270 physicians filled the questionnaire out of 350 physicians approached, with 14 being excluded due to high missing data, giving a final response rate of 73%. Participants had suboptimal knowledge and practices with a high positive attitude toward atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases risk assessment. The knowledge and practices were higher among consultants, participants from the cardiology department, those with experience years of more than nine years, and those who reported following a specific guideline for cholesterol management or using a risk calculator in their practice. Notably, the risk assessment and counseling practices were lower among physicians who reported seeing more patients per day.
CONCLUSION: Physicians had overall low knowledge, suboptimal practices, and a high positive attitude toward cardiovascular risk assessment. Therefore, physicians' training and continuing medical education regarding cholesterol management and primary prevention clinical practice guidelines are recommended. Also, the importance of adherence to clinical practice guidelines and their impact on clinical outcomes should be emphasized.
METHODS: A community-based cross-sectional survey followed by unmatched case-control comparisons was conducted among 612 participants in Utmah district, western Yemen. A total of 223 participants were included in the case-control analysis to identify the significant risk factors. Skin scrapping samples were examined by microscopy and internal transcribed spacer 1 nested polymerase chain reaction.
RESULTS: Overall, 33% (202/612) of the participants had active skin lesions and/or scars that met the clinical criteria for CL. A total of 90 (14.7%) participants had suspected active CL lesions; however, a prevalence of 8.7% (53/612) was obtained based on molecular and parasitological examination, with Leishmania tropica being the only causative agent identified. Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that being ≤10 y old, being female, living in houses with cracked walls, living in the presence of other family members with typical ulcerating skin diseases and sleeping outside were factors significantly associated with an increased likelihood of having CL. Moreover, keeping livestock on the ground floor of the house was significantly associated with a decreased likelihood of having CL.
CONCLUSION: The study reveals an alarmingly high prevalence of CL among the studied population. Therefore there is an urgent need for effective control measures and improved treatment efforts against this devastating disease.
METHODOLOGY: Data were collected form 5310 patients in 249 private clinics. The patients evaluated their satisfaction on the quality of service on the basis of nine criteria that comprised 31 subcriteria. We used multicriteria satisfaction analysis (MUSA) to analyze the data.
FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION: The data analysis results showed low level of satisfaction on the health care quality services offered by the private clinics in Yemen. The majority of the criteria and subcriteria showed low level of satisfaction, high demand, and high mandate for improvement.
DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was distributed to 1093 healthcare workers. The data were analysed using multiple logistic regression with significance level p<0.05. Ethical clearance and consent of the participants were duly obtained.
SETTING: In three public hospitals that provide tertiary-level healthcare in Sana'a City, Yemen.
PARTICIPANTS: There were 692 nurses and doctors (response rate 63.3%) completed the questionnaires.
RESULTS: Almost half of the participants 55.1% were nurses and 44.9% were doctors. The study found that self-efficacy was associated with willingness to participate in disaster response for any type of disasters (OR 1.319, 95% CI 1.197 to 1.453), natural disasters (OR 1.143, 95% CI 1.069 to 1.221) and influenza pandemic (OR 1.114, 95% CI 1.050 to 1.182). The results further show that willingness is associated with healthcare workers being young, male and having higher educational qualifications.
CONCLUSION: Self-efficacy has been found to be an important factor associated with willingness. Improving self-efficacy through training in disaster preparedness may increase willingness of healthcare workers to participate in a disaster.