The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association最新文献

{"title":"Impact of lipid accumulation product on cardiometabolic multimorbidity and the mediating effect of leukocytes: evidence from a prospective cohort study among middle-aged and elderly chinese adults.","authors":"Awakere Maiturouze, Yunjia Li, Dan Li","doi":"10.1186/s42506-026-00235-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-026-00235-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) is a growing public-health burden in ageing populations, yet conventional adiposity measures such as body mass index and waist circumference do not adequately capture the visceral fat and lipid-metabolic disturbances that underlie it. We investigated the association between the lipid accumulation product (LAP) and incident CMM in middle-aged and older Chinese adults, and examined whether systemic inflammation mediates this association.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We analysed data from five waves (2011-2020) of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), comprising 7563 participants aged 45 years or older who were free of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes at baseline and had complete LAP and white blood cell (WBC) count data. CMM was defined as the coexistence of two or more cardiometabolic conditions among heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. The association between LAP and incident CMM was assessed using Cox proportional-hazards models with subgroup and restricted cubic spline analyses, and the mediating effects of inflammatory markers (WBC count and C-reactive protein [CRP]) were evaluated by causal mediation analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Over a median follow-up of 9.0 years, 486 participants (6.43%) developed CMM. After multivariable adjustment, LAP was positively associated with CMM: each one-unit increase in the base-10 logarithm of LAP (LgLAP) corresponded to a hazard ratio (HR) of 3.03 (95% CI 2.33-3.93), and risk rose across LAP quartiles (quartile 4 vs. quartile 1 h 3.41, 95% CI 2.49-4.67; P for trend < 0.001). Adding LAP to a base model raised the C-index from 0.624 to 0.674, with corresponding gains in the integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) and net reclassification improvement (NRI); the model including both LAP and WBC had a C-index of 0.677. Restricted cubic spline analysis showed a non-linear, positive dose-response relationship (P for non-linearity = 0.003). The association was stronger in normotensive than in hypertensive participants (HR 4.39 vs. 2.19; P for interaction = 0.020) but remained significant in both. In mediation analysis, WBC count and log-transformed CRP each significantly mediated the association, accounting for 5.1% and 8.4% of the total effect, respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>In middle-aged and older Chinese adults, a higher baseline LAP was associated with an increased risk of incident CMM, and systemic inflammation-indexed by WBC count and CRP-partially mediated this association. As an inexpensive and routinely available index, LAP may help identify people at risk of CMM, particularly among those without hypertension.</p><p><strong>Clinical trial number: </strong>Not applicable.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-10-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13638820/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149115367","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effectiveness of a self-management educational program among people with multiple sclerosis: a pre-test post-test intervention study.","authors":"Fatma Elnaggar, Ebtisam M Fetohy, Zeinab N Shata, Eman Hamdy","doi":"10.1186/s42506-026-00231-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-026-00231-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Beyond pharmacological disease-modifying therapies, evidence suggests that structured self-management interventions can optimize functional independence, reduce secondary complications, and enhance quality of life. However, data from Middle Eastern multiple sclerosis (MS) populations, especially regarding telehealth-delivered self-management programs, remain scarce. Therefore, we conducted the current study to assess the effectiveness of a telehealth self-management educational program on the quality of life (QoL) of people with MS (PwMS).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A one-group pre-post interventional study was conducted among 42 PwMS attending the outpatient clinic at Alexandria Main University Hospital. Baseline and post-intervention assessments were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising: (1) socio-demographic and MS-related clinical data; (2) the Multiple Sclerosis Self-Management Scale-Revised (MSSM-R); and (3) the Multiple Sclerosis International Quality of Life questionnaire (MusiQoL). Participants received a structured telehealth educational and follow-up program targeting cognitive-behavioral strategies.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The mean MSSM-R total score increased significantly from 84.7 ± 14.4 at baseline to 90.9 ± 13.8 immediately post-intervention and 96.1 ± 14.3 at 3 months (p < 0.001). Significant improvements were observed in knowledge (13.6 ± 3.7 to 17.1 ± 2.4), health maintenance behavior (12.5 ± 3.8 to 15.7 ± 3.0), and treatment adherence (26.4 ± 7.4 to 29.2 ± 6.4) (all p < 0.001). The total MusiQoL score increased from 59.8 ± 15.2 at baseline to 65.7 ± 14.8 at 3 months (p < 0.001). Significant improvements were observed in activities of daily living (p = 0.015), psychological well-being (p = 0.001), symptoms (p < 0.001), and rejection (p = 0.028), while other domains showed no statistically significant changes.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>A structured telehealth-based self-management program resulted in measurable improvements in self-management capacity and quality of life in people with MS. These findings support the integration of self-management education, particularly for newly diagnosed individuals, into standard MS care and highlight the value of involving family members to reinforce patient adaptation and disease control.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13615194/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149064403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Correlates of unsafe driving in non-professional drivers: insights from a data-driven modeling approach.","authors":"Alireza Abdolrazaghi, Hamid Mirzahossein","doi":"10.1186/s42506-026-00234-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-026-00234-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Aberrant driving behavior is a major determinant of traffic crashes and injuries. It encompasses deliberate violations, errors, and lapses. Understanding the specific driver characteristics associated with each behavioral domain is critical for improving road safety. This study aimed to identify demographic, exposure-related, and behavioral covariates associated with violations, errors, and lapses as measured by the Driver Behavior Questionnaire.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A secondary analysis was conducted using a population-based dataset of 1,764 non-professional drivers from Egypt. Drivers completed questionnaires assessing socio-demographic factors, driving exposure, and habitual behaviors. Three separate penalized linear regression models using elastic net regularization were developed for violations, errors, and lapses total scores. Model tuning was optimized by repeated 10-fold cross-validation, followed by refitting selected predictors.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Low education, mobile phone use, eating while driving, and driving while sleepy were independently associated with higher violation scores (p < 0.001). Errors were significantly associated with increasing age, female sex, low education, non-use of seatbelts, eating while driving, and sleepiness (p ≤ 0.005). Lapses were predicted by increasing age, female sex, low education, non-use of seatbelts, and driving while sleepy (p ≤ 0.001). Driving experience was inversely associated with all aberrant behavior domains (p < 0.001). Model diagnostics confirmed adequate fit, low multicollinearity, and robust predictive performance.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Distinct behavioral, demographic, and exposure-related factors predict violations, errors, and lapses among non-professional drivers. These findings underscore the multifactorial nature of aberrant driving and support the development of behavior-specific, evidence-based interventions to enhance road safety and inform precision-focused management of driver behavior strategies.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13589021/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"149002443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Assessment of anxiety risk association with PAHs and aluminum co-exposure in an aluminum production facility.","authors":"Mohammad R Zare, Hadi E S Kakhaki, Mehdi Zare, Mousa S Ahmadi, Mehdi B Ardakani","doi":"10.1186/s42506-026-00233-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-026-00233-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Workers in aluminum production plants are occupationally exposed to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including the neurotoxicant benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), as well as to aluminum dust and fumes. While the physical health effects are established, the psychological impact, particularly on anxiety, remains less explored. This study investigated the associations of urinary 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP), a biomarker of PAHs exposure, and urinary aluminum levels with anxiety symptoms in aluminum workers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In this cross-sectional study, 260 participants (130 exposed workers and 130 controls) from an aluminum plant were enrolled. Urinary aluminum concentration was measured using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Anxiety was assessed using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), and job stress was evaluated using the Job Content Questionnaire (JCQ). BaP exposure was assessed using personal air sampling following NIOSH Method 5515. Urinary 1-OHP levels were quantified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Group comparisons, Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses were performed using SPSS software version 22.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The exposed group had significantly higher anxiety scores (10.74 ± 6.18) than the control group (8.88 ± 5.28). Urinary aluminum concentration was significantly higher in the exposed group (33.45 ± 16.20 µg/g creatinine) compared to controls (7.35 ± 3.99 µg/g creatinine). In the final regression model, which included total job stress as an independent variable alongside age, job experience, and smoking, urinary 1-OHP (β = 0.204), urinary aluminum (β = 0.177), smoking (β = 0.202), and total job stress (β = 0.295) were all significantly associated with anxiety, explaining 38.4% of the variance (R² = 0.384).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The internal dose of PAHs, measured via urinary 1-OHP, and aluminum body burden, measured via urinary aluminum, are significantly associated with higher anxiety symptoms. Notably, job stress also independently was associated with anxiety in this cohort. This highlights the potential neurotoxic impact of combined PAH and aluminum exposure on mental health and suggests the need for integrated psychological and biological monitoring in high-risk occupations.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-09-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13586090/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148991379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder among international medical students from conflict zones versus non-conflict areas: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Manar M Ellaban, Sally M Bashandy, Ziad Y El-Yamanay, Reham O Alebiary, Salma S Osman, Yosra S Abd El-Ghaffar","doi":"10.1186/s42506-026-00224-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-026-00224-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>International medical students face elevated risks of depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD; characterized by re-experiencing, avoidance, and a sense of threat per ICD-11), and complex PTSD (C-PTSD; encompassing core PTSD symptoms alongside disturbances in self-organization, including emotion dysregulation, negative self-concept, and relationship difficulties). This study aims to determine the prevalence of these conditions among students at Ain Shams University (n = 310) and to compare those from conflict-affected regions with those from non-conflict regions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This analytical cross-sectional survey (October 2024-January 2025) employed the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress 21 Scale (DASS-21) and the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Students experienced a high symptom burden: 36.5% had extremely severe depression, 42.3% had extremely severe anxiety, and 18.4% had extremely severe stress. PTSD was identified in 18.4% of students, while C-PTSD was identified in 21.5%. Students from conflict-affected regions exhibited significantly higher rates across all outcomes compared with non-conflict peers (depression, anxiety, stress, PTSD, and C-PTSD: all p < 0.05).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>International medical students, particularly from conflict-affected areas, exhibit substantial mental health problems. The prevalence of C-PTSD (21.5%) exceeded that of PTSD (18.4%), underscoring chronic trauma impact. Targeted interventions-trauma-informed counseling, peer support, and resilience training-are urgently needed. Findings provide baseline data for the development of culturally sensitive mental health programs at Ain Shams University and similar institutions.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13400536/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148580075","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Marital satisfaction among women: an exploratory study of a sample from Egyptian society.","authors":"Shaimaa S Abdelrheem, Talal Alburaiki, Taher M Darwish, Hasnaa Khairy, Doaa M Osman","doi":"10.1186/s42506-026-00228-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-026-00228-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Despite the growing evidence of increasing divorce rates and marital distress among Egyptian couples, there are scarce studies that have explored marital satisfaction in Egypt. This study aimed to assess marital dissatisfaction, utilization of marital counseling services, and attitude toward seeking these services among married women in Upper Egypt.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A cross-sectional study design was applied. An Interviewer-administered questionnaire was filled out by 540 formally married women attending outpatient clinics at Aswan University Hospital. It inquired about personal data, the Marital Satisfaction Scale (MSS), whether marital counseling services were utilized, and attitudes toward seeking such services.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The median and range values of total MSS and attitudes towards seeking marital counseling services were 24 (1-87) and 3 (0-7), respectively. The prevalence of utilizing marital counseling services was 8%. Poor or unknown perception of health was significantly associated with high marital dissatisfaction scores (adjusted ß = 11.959, 95% CI:7.974-15.945). The associates of a positive attitude towards using services were religion, a high education level, a professional occupation, previous consultation with a specialist, and a high marital dissatisfaction score.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Women in Upper Egypt have low to moderate levels of marital dissatisfaction. Poor health perception is positively linked to marital dissatisfaction. There is a low utilization of marital counseling services. High perception of marital dissatisfaction and some women's sociodemographic features are related to the positive attitude toward utilization of marital counseling services. There is a need to integrate qualified marital counseling services with all its social and health aspects within maternal health care in Egyptian society and encourage women to use these services.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13388589/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148537186","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trends in the global burden of appendicitis in children at global, regional, and national levels: An analysis using GBD 2021 data.","authors":"Jiansheng Zhou, Yulin Feng, Kang Zhang, Lin Zhang, Jingjing Wang, Wenpeng Du, Zengyu Wang, Guimao Yang, Yingui Sun, Wenfa Zhang, Xingyue Li","doi":"10.1186/s42506-026-00229-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-026-00229-y","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;Acute appendicitis is one of the most common general surgical diseases in children. The high misdiagnosis rate and high complication rate of appendicitis in the pediatric population have led to a more serious incidence of appendicitis in children. Therefore, for pediatric appendicitis, early accurate diagnosis and timely intervention are of vital importance.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Methods: &lt;/strong&gt;This cross-sectional study used data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database to analyze the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR), age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR), and age-standardized disability-adjusted life year rate (ASDR) of appendicitis in children aged 0 to 14 years from 1990 to 2021. We calculated the average estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) using linear regression and analyzed the trends using the joinpoint analysis. The analysis was stratified by region, country, and Socioeconomic Development Index (SDI). We examined the associations of the EAPC with SDI and baseline rates.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Results: &lt;/strong&gt;A total of 63,401,760 children were included. In 2021, the global number of incident cases of pediatric appendicitis was estimated at 2,193,019.79 (95% UI, 1,405,218.04 to 3,186,592.24), corresponding to a 24% increase (95% UI, 22% to 27%) from 1990. Concurrently, the number of deaths was 2,319.37 (95% UI, 1,728.04 to 2,876.17), reflecting a 68% decline (95% UI, 76% to 54%) over the same period. From 1990 to 2021, the growth of ASIR was not significant globally [EAPC = 0.05 (-0.08 to 0.17), p &gt; 0.05], but there was a significant increase from 2001 to 2004 [APC = 3.28 (2.74 to 3.84), p &lt; 0.05]. Additionally, ASMR [EAPC = -3.99 (-4.11 to -3.87), p &lt; 0.05] and ASDR [EAPC = -3.77 (-3.84 to -3.69), p &lt; 0.05] showed significant decreases. ASIR showed an increasing trend in the High-middle SDI region [EAPC = 1.05 (0.85 to 1.25), p &lt; 0.05], while it decreased in the Low SDI region [EAPC = -0.45 (-0.53 to -0.37), p &lt; 0.05]. ASMR showed the most significant decreasing trend in the High-middle SDI region [EAPC = -5.74 (-6.01 to -5.46), p &lt; 0.05]. ASDR showed the most significant decreasing trend in the Middle SDI region [EAPC = -4.49 (-4.77 to -4.22), p &lt; 0.05]. In 2021, across 21 regions and 204 countries worldwide, ASIR continued to increase along with the rise in SDI. However, ASMR and ASDR continuously decreased as SDI increased. Over the 32-year period, a positive correlation was observed between the EAPC of ASIR and SDI (Pearson correlation coefficient r = 0.27, p &lt; 0.05), while a negative correlation was found between the EAPC of ASMR and SDI (Pearson correlation coefficient r = -0.30, p &lt; 0.05).&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusions: &lt;/strong&gt;This study reveals that although the global number of incident cases of pediatric appendicitis has increased, both the ASMR and ASDR demonstrate significant declining trends. However, substantial disparities persist due to the uneven distribution of healthcare reso","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13332101/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148376946","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Integrated evaluation of environmental monitoring, rheumatoid arthritis biomarkers, and genetic variants in textile dyeing workers.","authors":"Amal Saad-Hussein, Eman M Shahy, Mona M Taha, Gehan Moubarz, Heba Mahdy-Abdallah, Lamia S Ellaithy, Inas A Saleh, Atef M F Mohammed","doi":"10.1186/s42506-026-00217-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-026-00217-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Workers in the textile dyeing industry are occupationally exposed to high concentrations of particulates and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). This work aimed to study the environment-gene interaction as a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis in textile dyeing workers.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This cross-sectional comparative study included 140 exposed male workers and 130 matched control workers. Air monitoring of chemical air pollutants in the workplace was conducted for 12 months. Estimation of anti-CCP, CRP, RF, ANA antibodies, and the CYP2E1 and GST genes polymorphisms was studied in both groups.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>High air concentrations of PM₁₀, SO_2, H₂S, and VOCs were detected in the preparatory and dyeing sections compared to the printing section. Anti-CCP, CRP, RF, and ANA were statistically higher in exposed workers compared to the control group. Anti-CCP and RF in preparatory workers were significantly higher compared to printing workers. Multivariate analysis revealed interaction in CYP2E1, GST polymorphism and different environmental exposures on RF.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The environment-gene interaction of the elevation of PM10 and VOCs concentrations in the dyeing section, with the CYP2E1 (C2/C2 mutant genotype) and the GST (M1 polymorphism), could be a risk factor for RF elevation in the workers from the dyeing section compared to the other two sections. The key recommendations include improving environmental control in the workplace, ensuring the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE), conducting pre-employment screening for genetic susceptibility through genetic counseling for CYP2E1 and GST polymorphisms, and providing regular medical follow-up for workers carrying the CYP2E1 (C2/C2) genotype and the GST (M1) allele.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13315032/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148346203","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of listening to Quran recitation on labor pain, childbirth comfort, and maternal blood pressure: a quasi-experimental study among nulliparous women.","authors":"Widad N O Al Kharusi, Sophia C Vincent, Fatima K R Al Muqbali, Aysha Al Hashmi","doi":"10.1186/s42506-026-00225-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-026-00225-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Labor pain and maternal comfort during childbirth can influence women's childbirth experience, labor progress, and psychological well-being. Non-pharmacological interventions are increasingly used to support labor pain management in a safe and supportive manner. Quran recitation, a culturally familiar auditory intervention for Muslim women, may help reduce pain perception and promote relaxation during labor. This study aims to examine the effect of listening to Quran recitation on labor pain, childbirth comfort, and blood pressure among nulliparous women in Oman.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A quasi-experimental study was conducted at Khoula Hospital, Oman, among 120 nulliparous women with singleton term pregnancies in active labor. Participants were allocated into two groups: a Quran recitation group (n = 60) and a back massage group (n = 60). Women in the intervention group listened to a recorded Quran recitation during labor, while the comparison group received a standardized back massage. Labor pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), pain behavior using the Pain Behavioral Observation Scale (PBOS-3), and childbirth comfort using the Childbirth Comfort Questionnaire (CCQ). Systolic and diastolic blood pressure were also recorded. Measurements were obtained before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests, independent t-test, chi-square, and multivariate linear regression.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Women in the Quran recitation group showed a significant reduction in mean VAS pain scores, decreasing from 76.45 ± 8.20 before the intervention to 58.32 ± 7.16 after the intervention (p < 0.001). In contrast, the back massage group showed no statistically significant change (62.88 ± 8.44 to 61.10 ± 7.98; p > 0.05). The Quran recitation group also demonstrated significantly improved pain behavior and higher overall childbirth comfort scores (CCQ total score, p = 0.002). Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that Quran recitation was significantly associated with lower systolic (β = - 0.53, p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (β = - 0.49, p < 0.001) after adjustment for gestational age, time of admission, and prior Quran exposure.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Quran recitation was associated with reduced labor pain, improved childbirth comfort, and lower blood pressure among nulliparous women during labor. As a culturally acceptable non-pharmacological intervention, it may support more holistic maternity care for Muslim women.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13291369/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148309463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Global and China burden of maternal sepsis and infections: a systematic global burden of disease 2021 analysis with projections to 2036.","authors":"Juntao Sun, Ye Gao, Ilham Mokni, Xinyi Ying, Yanru Wu, Zhuoqi Wang, Zixing Zhong, Suying Miao, Suxiao Liu","doi":"10.1186/s42506-026-00227-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s42506-026-00227-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Maternal sepsis and maternal infections (MSMIs) pose significant risks to maternal, fetal, and neonatal health. This study examines the burden trends of MSMIs in China from 1990 to 2021, comparing them with global patterns.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The burden of MSMIs in China and worldwide was evaluated using data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) spanning 1990-2021. Temporal trends were assessed through Joinpoint regression, calculating average annual percentage changes (AAPC) with 95% confidence intervals. Future burden projections up to 2036 were estimated using ARIMA modeling. Cross-regional comparisons were conducted to identify variations in disease impact.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Between 1990 and 2021, China exhibited distinct trends in the burden of MSMIs compared to global patterns. The country's age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) declined from 29.62 to 23.95 per 100,000, reflecting an annual reduction of -0.73%, in contrast to a global increase to 37.40. Mortality indicators showed significant declines, with China's age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) dropping by 77.7% to 4.04 (-5.10% per year), compared to a 56.9% global reduction. Disease burden indicators demonstrated accelerated improvements, as China's age-standardized disability-adjusted life years rate (ASDR) fell by 78.3% to 93.73 (-5.31% per year), exceeding the global reduction of 53.1%. Prevalence patterns showed a contraction in China's age-standardized prevalence rate (ASPR) to 390.24 (-0.47% per year), whereas international prevalence rose to 513.68. Age-stratified analysis revealed inverse relationships: ASIR declined progressively with aging, while mortality and disability indicators intensified in older populations, differing from the bimodal prevalence distribution that peaked in middle age.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>From 1990 to 2021, China experienced a significant decline in the MSMIs burden, diverging from rising global trends. Projections suggest this divergence will persist, with China's burden continuing to decrease by 2036, while global rates increase. Urgent targeted interventions are needed for high-risk regions and populations.</p>","PeriodicalId":22819,"journal":{"name":"The Journal of the Egyptian Public Health Association","volume":"101 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13282414/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148278907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}