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Fulltext Paddy farmer’s perception and factors influencing attitude and intention on adoption of organic rice farming

Ashari, Juwaidah Sharifuddin, Mohammed, Z., Terano, R.

International Food Research Journal, 2018;25(102):135-145.
MyJurnal

As a staple food, the availability of rice is essential for Indonesian people. It is undoubtable that Green Revolution (GR) has a significant contribution to rice production. However, GR also emerges the detrimental impact, mainly on the environment. The expectation is that organic farming is an appropriate solution for dealing with this issue. On one side, the increased in demand for healthy food implies the organic farming has a good prospect. However, the adoption rate of organic farming is still low among farmers. This study aims at examining the perceptions of paddy farmer and factor affecting attitude and behavioral intention to adopt organic rice farming. This study involved 600 paddy farmers as respondents in Sragen District, Central Java, Indonesia. The study grouped the respondents into two categories, i.e., semi-organic and conventional farmers. The data were collected through a structured questionnaire. The results showed that the perceived usefulness, perceived ease, and environmental concern affected positive and significantly on attitude. Meanwhile, the behavioral intention was influenced significantly by attitude, subjective norm, moral obligation and perceived behavioral control. Conclusively, the perceptions on technology characteristic, environmental concern, moral obligation have a positive impact on attitude and intention to adopt organic rice farming. Therefore, the dissemination of organic rice technology should be accelerated to take the advantages of positive attitudes by changing their mindset toward adopting organic rice farming.
Fulltext Superselective embolisation for control of intractable epistaxis from maxillary artery injury

Singam P, Thanabalan J, Mohammed Z

Biomed Imaging Interv J, 2011 01 01;7(1):e3.
PMID: 21655112 MyJurnal DOI: 10.2349/biij.7.1.e3

Traumatic intractable epistaxis following fractures of the facial and base of skull rarely may be life-threatening. Common sites of injury are the internal carotid and maxillary artery. When conventional methods of arresting haemorrhage fail, the choices are then an open arterial ligation or superselective embolisation. This paper presents a patient with life-threatening epistaxis from a Le Fort type II fracture. Angiography revealed a maxillary artery injury in which superselective embolisation was performed and the haemorrhage was successfully arrested. A literature review of this technique is discussed, including its advantages and the relationship of the internal maxillary artery to facial fractures.
The inter-relationship between magnification, field of view and contrast reserve: the effect on reading performance

Mohammed Z, Dickinson CM

Ophthalmic Physiol Opt, 2000 Nov;20(6):464-72.
PMID: 11127126 DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-1313.2000.tb01124.x

For the reading task, contrast reserve is defined as the ratio of the letter contrast of the printed letters, to the reader's contrast threshold. Acuity reserve is the ratio of the print size used for the reading task, to the reader's visual acuity. The effects of low contrast reserve on reading performance were investigated at various magnifications, ranging from 3x to 7.5x, with the field of view systematically controlled. Eye movements were recorded whilst normally sighted subjects read using the magnifiers. It was shown that with adequate contrast reserve, increasing the field of view improved the reading rate because of the resulting increase in forward saccade length. Conversely, reducing the contrast reserve slowed the reading rate by decreasing the length of forward saccades and increasing the mean fixation duration, suggesting that the perceptual span is reduced at low contrast reserve. This study also shows that when the contrast reserve is low, providing magnification higher than that required for letter recognition (that is, increasing the acuity reserve) will not improve the reading performance. Furthermore, even when the contrast reserve was high, reading rates were lower for the magnifications of 5x and higher, because increases in saccade length do not match those of the retinal image size at these magnifications.
Anatomy learning styles and strategies among Jordanian and Malaysian medical students: the impact of culture on learning anatomy

Mustafa AG, Allouh MZ, Mustafa IG, Hoja IM

Surg Radiol Anat, 2013 Jul;35(5):435-41.
PMID: 23292088 DOI: 10.1007/s00276-012-1067-z

The study aims to investigate anatomy learning styles and strategies of Jordanian and Malaysian medical students at the Jordan University of Science and Technology.
Fulltext Profile of low vision children in the special education schools in Malaysia

Omar R, Mohammed Z, Knight VF, Basrul MH

Med J Malaysia, 2009 Dec;64(4):289-93.
PMID: 20954552

This study looked at the causes of vision loss, levels of distance, near vision and the use of low vision devices (LVDs) in children studying at special schools in Malaysia. A total of 139 children from two special education schools took part. Visual acuity was measured with and without LVDs. Those who required further assessment were referred to Low Vision Clinic. Near visual acuity in 71 children ranged from N4 to N64. Sixty eight children could not read the N64 chart or they were totally blind. Only eight students were using LVDs before intervention. Seventy one children were referred for low vision assessment and 48 were found to benefit from the LVDs prescribed. The major cause of visual impairment was cataract (17%). Hand held magnifier was the most preferred LVD. Majority of the children attending the blind schools had residual vision but did not have LVDs. LVDs are able to significantly improve near visual acuity and hence there is a need to prescribe and train the children to use the LVDs.
Fulltext Visual and binocular status of Down syndrome children in Malaysia

Mohd-Ali B, Mohammed Z, Norlaila M, Mohd-Fadzil N, Rohani CC, Mohidin N

Clin Exp Optom, 2006 May;89(3):150-4.
PMID: 16637969 DOI: 10.1111/j.1444-0938.2006.00033.x

Down syndrome is a common chromosomal anomaly. Few reported studies make reference to the ocular status in Asian children with Down syndrome. The purpose of this study was to determine the visual and binocular status of a sample of Down syndrome children in Malaysia.
Fulltext Characteristics of visually impaired children in Low Vision Clinic in UKM. [Ciri kanak-kanak berpenglihatan terhad di Klinik Penglihatan Terhad UKM]

Omar R, Knight VF, Mohammed Z, Tholasee GM

Jurnal Sains Kesihatan Malaysia, 2007;5(1):37-45.
MyJurnal

While the prevalence of visually impaired children constitutes a small portion of the visually impaired population, it is important to determine whether the low vision services available are utilised by these children. This is important as previous studies have shown that children have a very high rate of successful low vision device use compared to adults. This was a cross sectional retrospective study. Fifty nine low vision clinic children records were evaluated. The results showed that 25.4% of the children were categorised as with moderate low vision, 30.5% with severe low vision and 40.7% were categorised as blind. The major causes of low vision were congenital cataract, congenital nystagmus, congenital glaucoma, macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. Low vision rehabilitation for near work using magnifiers improved the vision of 30.5% of the low vision children. This finding suggests that 1/3 of low vision children could benefit from low vision rehabilitation. The low vision devices most commonly prescribed to the children in this study were stand magnifiers, hand-held magnifiers and spectacles. This study illustrates the key role of optometrists in the management of visual impairment in Malaysian children. It would appear that the establishment of low vision services in government hospitals using trained optometrists is a cost effective method of service delivery. Therefore more low vision children would have access to proper low vision rehabilitation and through that rehabilitation, their quality of life can be improved.
Key words: children, low vision
Study site: Klinik Penglihatan Terhad Pusat Perubatana, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Fulltext Reading Performance and Compensatory Head Posture in Infantile Nystagmus after Null Zone Training

Mohamad Fadzil N, Mohammed Z, Mohamad Shahimin M, Saliman NH

Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2019 11 27;16(23).
PMID: 31783492 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16234728

This study aimed to assess the visual function, reading performance, and compensatory head posture (CHP) in schoolchildren with infantile nystagmus. A total of 18 participants aged between 13 to 18 years old were divided into spectacle (n = 9) and null zone group (n = 9) based on their visual acuity. Visual acuity (LogMAR), contrast sensitivity (Pelli-Robson), reading time and rate (Tobii TX300), and CHP were measured pre and post null zone reading training. Participants in the null zone group received 10 sessions of training (5 weeks). Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity of participants in the spectacle and null zone groups were not significantly different pre and post training. Reading performance, i.e., reading time (z = -1.36; p = 0.173) and reading rate (z = -0.06; p = 0.953), of participants in the spectacle group was not significantly different after 5 weeks. Reading time (z = -2.55; p = 0.011) and reading rate (z = -2.07; p = 0.038 of participants in the null zone group showed significant improvement post training. After 5 weeks, CHP improved in six out of the nine participants (66.7%) of the null zone group and was unchanged in all participants in the spectacle group. Null zone reading training could benefit children with infantile nystagmus in improving reading performance and compensatory head posture.
Racial variations in knee joint laxity: A comparative study of the Jordanian Arab and Malay populations

Bashaireh KM, Yabroudi MA, Nawasreh ZH, Al-Zyoud SM, Bashir NB, Aleshawi AJ, et al.

Knee, 2020 Aug;27(4):1205-1211.
PMID: 32711883 DOI: 10.1016/j.knee.2020.05.003

BACKGROUND: A high incidence of joint laxity has been reported among Asians compared with Western populations, but clear differences between more specific ethnic populations have not been established. This study aimed to determine the average knee laxity in the Malaysian and Jordanian populations.
METHODS: Jordanian and Malaysian medical students from our institution were invited to participate in the study. General demographic data and factors affecting joint laxity were obtained from each participant using a printed questionnaire. Both knees were examined using the anterior drawer test while in 90° of flexion. Knee laxity was measured by three separate independent investigators through a knee laxity tester.
RESULTS: One hundred and eighty-six participants (95 females) were enrolled in the study. Among them, 108 Malaysians participated. The Jordanians had significantly higher knee laxity in both knees compared with the Malaysians. The mean average right knee laxity for Jordanians was 2.98 mm vs. 2.72 mm for Malaysians (P = 0.005). Similarly, the mean average left knee laxity for Jordanians was 2.95 mm, while for Malaysians, it was 2.62 mm (P = 0.0001). Furthermore, smokers had significantly more laxity in both knees. After performing a multivariate linear regression analysis for all factors, race was the only independent factor that affected knee laxity in both knees.
CONCLUSIONS: Race is directly associated with knee laxity. Jordanians tend to have more laxity in knee joints compared with Malaysians. Larger multi-center and genetic studies are recommended to establish the racial differences between different ethnic groups.
Fulltext Numerical simulation on energy transfer enhancement of a Williamson ferrofluid subjected to thermal radiation and a magnetic field using hybrid ultrafine particles

Swalmeh MZ, Alwawi FA, Kausar MS, Ibrahim MAH, Hamarsheh AS, Sulaiman IM, et al.

Sci Rep, 2023 Feb 23;13(1):3176.
PMID: 36823230 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29707-5

In this numerical investigation, completely developed laminar convective heat transfer characteristics of a Williamson hybrid ferronanofluid over a cylindrical surface are reported. This new model in 2D is engaged to examine the effects of the magnetic field, thermal radiation factor, volume fraction of ultrafine particles, and Weissenberg number with the help of the Keller box method. The numerical calculations are implemented at a magnetic parameter range of 0.4 to 0.8, volume fraction range of 0.0 to 0.1, and a Weissenberg number range of 0.1 to 0.8. The numerical outcomes concluded that the velocity increases when the thermal radiation parameter and the volume fraction of a nanoparticle are increased, but inverse impacts are obtained for the magnetic parameter and the Weissenberg number. The rate of energy transport increases with increasing thermal radiation and volume fraction, while it declines with increasing the magnetic parameter and Weissenberg number. The drag force shows a positive relationship with the thermal radiation parameter and has an opposite relationship with the Weissenberg number and the magnetic parameter. Furthermore, even when the magnetic field, thermal radiation, volume fraction, and Weissenberg number are all present, the heat transfer rate of Williamson hybrid ferronanofluid is greater than that of mono Williamson ferronanofluid.
Discovery of a highly active anticancer analogue of cardamonin that acts as an inducer of caspase-dependent apoptosis and modulator of the mTOR pathway

Break MKB, Hossan MS, Khoo Y, Qazzaz ME, Al-Hayali MZK, Chow SC, et al.

Fitoterapia, 2018 Mar;125:161-173.
PMID: 29355749 DOI: 10.1016/j.fitote.2018.01.006

Cardamonin is a natural chalcone that has been shown to exhibit high anticancer activity. In an attempt to discover analogues of cardamonin with enhanced anticancer activity, 19 analogues were synthesized and tested against A549 and HK1 cell lines. Results of the MTS cell viability assay showed that several derivatives possessed cytotoxic activities that were several-fold more potent than cardamonin. SAR analysis showed the importance of the ketone and alkene groups for bioactivity, while substituting cardamonin's phenolic groups with more polar moieties resulted in activity enhancement. As part of the SAR study and further exploration of chemical space, the effect of metal coordination on cytotoxicity was also investigated, but it was only possible to successfully obtain the Cu (II) complex of cardamonin (19). Compound 19 was the most active analogue possessing IC50 values of 13.2μM and 0.7μM against A549 and HK1 cells, corresponding to a 5- and 32-fold increase in activity, respectively. It was also able to significantly inhibit the migration of A549 and HK1 cells. Further mode of action studies have shown that the most active analogue, 19, induced DNA damage resulting in G2/M-phase cell- cycle arrest in both cell lines. These events further led to the induction of apoptosis by the compound via caspase-3/7 and caspase-9 activation, PARP cleavage and downregulation of Mcl-1 expression. Moreover, 19 inhibited the expression levels of p-mTOR and p-4EBP1, which indicated that it exerted its anticancer activity, at least in part, via inhibition of the mTOR signalling pathway.
Fulltext Photoconversion efficiency of In2S3/ZnO core-shell heterostructures nanorod arrays deposited via controlled SILAR cycles

Almamari MR, Ahmed NM, Holi AM, Yam FK, Al-Abri MZ, Almessiere MA, et al.

Heliyon, 2022 Jul;8(7):e09959.
PMID: 35874070 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e09959

This paper reports the structures, morphologies, optical properties, and photoconversion efficiency (η%) of the In2S3/ZnO core-shell heterostructures nanorod arrays (IZCSHNRAs) produced via the controlled successive ionic layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) cycles. As-produced samples were characterized using XRD, FESEM, TEM, UV-Vis, PL, XPS and FTIR techniques. The proposed IZCSHNRAs revealed nearly double photocurrent density and η% values compared to the pure ZnO nanorod arrays (ZNRAs). In addition, the light absorption, crystallinity and microstructures of the specimens were appreciably improved with the increase of the SILAR cycles. The deposited nanoparticles of In2S3 (ISNPs) on the ZNRAs surface was responsible for the improvement in the heterostructures, light absorption and photogenerated electron-hole pairs separation, thus enhancing the photoconversion performance. It is established that a simple SILAR approach can be very useful to produce good quality IZCSHNRAs-based photoelectrodes required for the future development of high performance photoelectrochemical cells (PECs).
Fulltext Mental health state and quality of life questionnaire in low vision assessment: a case report

Omar R, Rahman MH, Knight VF, Mustaphal M, Mohammed Z

BMC Res Notes, 2014;7:667.
PMID: 25245590 DOI: 10.1186/1756-0500-7-667

BACKGROUND: Vision impairment associated with diabetic retinopathy, is well known and low vision rehabilitation is always recommended. In this report, the importance of objective measure of mental health and quality of life screening in diabetic retinopathy low-vision assessment is discussed.
CASE PRESENTATION: We describe the case of a 43-year-old Asian female who has mild vision impairment due to tractional retinal detachment secondary to diabetic retinopathy and how mental health screening and quality of life screening during low vision rehabilitation can improve in the management of this patient.
CONCLUSION: Although vision impairment was mild, the psychological impact was enormous and affected her quality of life substantially. This case report illustrates that recognition of the mental health and quality of life impact on visual impairment is critical to the rehabilitation management of low vision patients with diabetic retinopathy.
Fulltext The impact of near visual impairment on instrumental activities of daily living among community-dwelling older adults in Selangor

Kee QT, Abd Rahman MH, Mohamad Fadzil N, Mohammed Z, Shahar S

BMC Res Notes, 2021 Oct 24;14(1):395.
PMID: 34689826 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-021-05813-3

OBJECTIVE: Near visual impairment (VI) is a common disability in an aging population. Near vision is crucial in activity of daily living including reading, smartphone and computer use and meal preparation. This study was conducted to determine the association between near visual acuity (VA) and contrast sensitivity (CS) with activity of daily living (ADL) among visually impaired older adults.
RESULTS: A total of 208 participants aged ≥ 60 were recruited from the population-based longitudinal study on neuroprotective model for healthy longevity. Habitual near VA and CS were measured using Lighthouse near VA chart and Pelli-Robson CS chart, respectively. Lawton instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) was used to assess ADL. There are 41.8% participants with near visual impairment and 28.7% among them had IADL disability. Independent t test showed significant lower mean IADL score among visually impaired participants [t(206) = 2.03, p = 0.04]. IADL score significantly correlated with near VA (r = - 0.21, p = 0.05) but not with CS (r = - 0.14, p = 0.21). Near VA (B = - 0.44, p = 0.03) and age (B = - 0.07, p = 0.01) significantly predicted IADL. The findings show poorer VA renders higher IADL disability, which may necessitate interventions to improve ADL among visually impaired older adults.
Fulltext Association between vision and cognitive function among community-dwelling older adults in Selangor, Malaysia

Mohammed Z, Kee QT, Fadzil NM, Abd Rahman MH, Din NC, Mariappan V, et al.

Int J Ophthalmol, 2023;16(1):115-120.
PMID: 36659949 DOI: 10.18240/ijo.2023.01.17

AIM: To determine the association between distance and near visual acuity (VA) and cognitive function among older adults in Selangor, Malaysia.
METHODS: A total of 230 older adults (age ≥60y) participated in this study. Habitual distance and near VA were measured using the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Chart and Lighthouse Near Visual Acuity Chart, respectively. Global cognitive function was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (M-MSE) and the Malay language version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (M-MoCA). Digit Symbol (DS) subtest was used to measure information processing.
RESULTS: No significant association was observed between vision and M-MSE and M-MoCA scores. However, poor distance and near VA were found to be significantly associated with low DS scores [distance VA: β=-0.01, R 2=0.1, P=0.02; odds ratio (OR)=2.84, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.10-7.33, P=0.03; near VA: β=-0.05, R 2=0.08, P=0.00; OR=3.32, 95%CI, 1.28-8.59, P=0.01].
CONCLUSION: Poor vision is associated with a decline in information processing in older adults and substantiates the importance of preserving good vision in maintaining cognitive function.
Fulltext Development and validation of parental knowledge, attitude and practice in eye problem among children questionnaire (PEPC-KAPQ)

Ghani NDH, Abd Rahman MH, Mohamad Fadzil N, Mohammed Z, Mohd Rasdi HF, Shafie NS

PLoS One, 2023;18(9):e0291062.
PMID: 37682886 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0291062

BACKGROUND: Most eye problems among children can be detected and treated at an early age to reduce the prevalence of visual impairment. Understanding the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among parents about common children's eye problems is fundamental to encourage parents to seek early eye care services for their children. This study aims to develop a Parental Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice in Eye Problem among Children Questionnaire (PEPC-KAPQ) and evaluate its psychometric properties.
METHODS: This study involved developing a questionnaire and was conducted in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from July 2021 until June 2022. The questionnaire was developed based on a literature review and expert consultation. The first phase includes a systematic literature review to generate the items for the questionnaire. A group of five panels was then invited to perform content validity for the questionnaire. Face validity was conducted among ten parents to get feedback for the questionnaire. Construct validity and reliability of the questionnaire were measured by which the questionnaire was administered to a total of 134 parents and 64 parents for reliability test.
RESULT: The final PEPC-KAPQ consists of four main sections: demographic, knowledge, attitude, and practice with 52 items. The content validity index was 0.85 for all domains of KAP. Modified kappa showed excellent value for most items for all domains. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin sampling adequacy showed acceptable scores of 0.84, and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity was significant (x2 = 3172.09, p<0.0001). Kuder-Richardson-2 of the domain knowledge was 0.95. Cronbach's α coefficient of domain attitude and practice were 0.92 and 0.88, respectively and the intraclass correlation of domain attitude and practice were 0.93 and 0.94 respectively. Bland and Altman's plots show that majority of the data fell within the limits of agreement.
CONCLUSION: The findings of this validation and reliability study show that the developed questionnaire has a satisfactory psychometric property for measuring the KAP of parents regarding eye problems among children.
Fulltext Optimizing classroom environments for visually impaired school children a scoping review protocol

Ahmad Najmee NA, Mohammed Z, Rahman MHA, Fadzil NM, Ludin AFM

PLoS One, 2024;19(10):e0308149.
PMID: 39418250 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308149

Creating a universal and supportive learning environment is essential for the holistic education development of visually impaired school children. However, inadequate infrastructure, limited access to specialized tools, and a shortage of skilled teachers may contribute to lower self-confidence and academic performance. This underscores the necessity for specific guidelines and recommendations to address an optimal classroom setting that is tailored to their visual needs. In this paper, a scoping review protocol is introduced, utilizing the framework proposed by Arksey and O'Malley (2005), to address the following research questions: 1) Is there any established standard classroom setting for visually impaired school children? 2) What recommendations or specific guidelines exist regarding the physical measurement, layout, lighting, contrast, and appropriate position for visually impaired school children? The scoping review explored four electronic databases: PubMed, Scopus Emerald Insight, and Web of Sciences. The outcomes from the scoping review will offer conceptual elucidation, synthesize existing theoretical and empirical understandings, and propose the optimal classroom settings tailored to the visual needs of visually impaired schoolchildren. This paper introduces the a-priori study protocol, which outlines the planned methodology for conducting the scoping review in detail. This protocol has been officially registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF) at the following link: http://osf.io/z2sdt.
Fulltext Parents' knowledge and practices of child eye health care: A scoping review

Ghani NDH, Mohamad Fadzil N, Mohammed Z, Abd Rahman MH, Che Din N

PLoS One, 2024;19(11):e0313220.
PMID: 39541317 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0313220

BACKGROUND: Treating children's eyes is not just a privilege for a child, it is an essential requirement for their visual health. Parents, as caregivers, have a paramount responsibility to make decisions regarding their children's eye health. Thus, this review aims to identify and summarise published information about parents' knowledge and practices on children's eye health care.
METHODS: Relevant articles searches were performed through a systematic search of databases (EBSCOhost, PubMed, and Scopus) using the keywords 'knowledge', 'practice', 'parent', 'eye', 'problem', and 'children'. This review was conducted and reported in line with the PRISMA-ScR. The methodological quality of the listed studies was assessed using A Modified McMaster Critical Review form based on the total score.
RESULT: From a total of 235 studies retrieved through literature review and pearling, 219 remained after removing duplicates. After screening titles and abstracts, 204 irrelevant studies were excluded, leaving 15. After a detailed full-text review, four studies were excluded due to not meeting inclusion criteria. Thus, this review includes the remaining 11 studies. All eleven studies (n = 11) show that parents's knowledge and practices vary. Some parents display good knowledge regarding children's eye health care, for example, understanding the importance of wearing spectacles, the significance of children having normal vision, and where to seek eye examinations. Five studies (n = 5) showed that parents have good practices such as consulting doctors and seeking eye examinations and treatment at the hospital. Six studies (n = 6) showed that parents have misconceptions regarding knowledge, practices, and treatment of children's eye health.
CONCLUSION: This scoping review found that parents' knowledge and practices regarding children's eye health are poor. Parents' perceptions and practices about the cause and treatment of eye problems were tainted with misconceptions. Therefore, implementing structured programs to enhance awareness and promote the adoption of healthy practices for children's eye health is required.
Fulltext Classroom settings for visually impaired schoolchildren: A scoping review

Ahmad Najmee NA, Mohammed Z, Rahman MHA, Fadzil NM, Ludin AFM, Hassan R

PLoS One, 2025;20(2):e0318871.
PMID: 39977422 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0318871

Visually impaired schoolchildren require classrooms tailored to their visual abilities and needs, as outlined in existing literature detailing optimal modifications, recommendations, and guidelines. The study aims to review existing literature on classroom modifications for visually impaired schoolchildren, outlining recommendations for creating ideal classrooms within mainstream physical settings. After initial screening, 712 publications (698 from databases and registers, and 14 from other methods) were identified for detailed review, of which 17 were ultimately eligible for inclusion. Through a systematic review of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases, along with additional sources up to February 2024, this research analyzed articles published from 1999 to 2024. A qualitative, thematic analysis was conducted on the included articles. Criteria included peer-reviewed journals, theses, and conference papers focusing on classroom settings for visually impaired schoolchildren aged 7 to 18. Key questions addressed are: 1) What classroom settings suit the needs of visually impaired schoolchildren? 2) What recommendations are tailored to visually impaired schoolchildren to create a conducive classroom environment? Analysis of 7 journal articles and 10 other publications revealed two main themes: optimizing classroom configuration and enhancing visual comfort. Articles primarily focused on suggestions for classroom layout, particularly furnishing arrangement (41%, n = 7) and enhancing lighting conditions (41% n = 7). However, concerns were raised about standard furniture designs and the need for tailored seating arrangements to meet the visual demands of visually impaired schoolchildren. Conclusion: This review provides valuable insights into creating optimal classroom settings for visually impaired schoolchildren, ensuring equal learning opportunities in a supportive environment tailored to their needs.
Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of the Arabic version of HIT-6 questionnaire in patients with migraine indicated for preventive therapy: A multi-center study

Hussein M, Hassan A, Nada MAF, Mohammed Z, Abdel Ghaffar NF, Kedah H, et al.

Headache, 2024 May;64(5):500-508.
PMID: 38651363 DOI: 10.1111/head.14719

BACKGROUND: The Headache Impact Test (HIT-6) is an important patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) in migraine prevention trials.
OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to (i) assess the reliability and validity of the Arabic version of HIT-6 in Arabic-speaking patients experiencing migraine, and (ii) evaluate the responsiveness of HIT-6 following migraine preventive therapy.
METHODS: In this prospective study, patients with migraine (n = 145) were requested to fill out a headache diary, the Arabic version of HIT-6, and Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS) at two time points (baseline and 3 months after initiation of prophylactic treatment). Some respondents (n = 73) were requested to fill out HIT-6 again 1 week from the baseline for test-retest reliability. The intensity of migraine headache attacks was evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). An anchor-based method was used to establish the minimal important change (MIC) value and responsiveness of HIT-6.
RESULTS: The total scores of HIT-6 were significantly correlated to a fair degree with MIDAS (r = 0.41), as well as VAS (r = 0.53), and monthly migraine days (r = 0.38) at the baseline while at the follow-up (after 3 months), the correlations were of moderate degree with MIDAS scores (r = 0.62) and monthly migraine days (r = 0.60; convergent validity). Reliability estimates of the Arabic HIT-6 were excellent (Cronbach's α = 0.91 at baseline and 0.89 at follow-up). The average measure interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) value for the test-retest reliability was 0.96 (95% confidence interval = 0.94-0.98, p

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