Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health最新文献

{"title":"Baseline characteristics and outcomes of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the intensive care unit in Armed Force Hospital, Oman: A single center cohort","authors":"Masoud Kashoub ,&nbsp;Mohammed Al Shukairi ,&nbsp;Mariya Al Abdali ,&nbsp;Anisa Al Jabri ,&nbsp;Rawan Al Abdulsalam ,&nbsp;Jawahir Al Badri ,&nbsp;Sachin Jose ,&nbsp;Omar Al Salti","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101985","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101985","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Amidst the global COVID-19 pandemic, characterized as the most catastrophic health crisis since the 1918 influenza pandemic, this study aims to provide local insights by examining critically ill patients with COVID-19 admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Armed Force Hospital (AFH) in Muscat, Oman.</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>This single-center retrospective cohort study encompassed 226 adult patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted between February 2020 and November 2021. Demographic information, clinical records, laboratory results, and radiological examinations were extracted from the AFH electronic system. Survival analysis employed the Kaplan-Meier curve to determine median survival time with a 95 % confidence interval. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were conducted to assess the impact of predictor variables on mortality, with hazard ratios reported alongside their 95 % confidence intervals.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The patient population exhibited a median age of 61 years, comprising 32.9 % females and 67.1 % males. A substantial majority, 84.7 % of patients, had at least one medical comorbidity. Notably, patients aged 65 years and older experienced an 83.3 % increased hazard of mortality, while each one-unit increase in lactate levels resulted in an 11.2 % increased hazard of mortality among ICU patients. The overall median survival time was found to be 17.00 days, with a 95 % confidence interval spanning from 14.18 to 19.82.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The overall mortality rate observed in this study was approximately 56.5 %. These findings underscore the significant burden imposed by COVID-19 and highlight the imperative for the development of future strategies to mitigate similar outcomes in the face of future pandemics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101985"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143643793","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":"Association between oral health-related quality of life and mental health among university students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia","authors":"AlBandary H. AlJameel ,&nbsp;Lama S. AlSaleh ,&nbsp;Noor H. Bawazir ,&nbsp;Aseel S. AlOmair ,&nbsp;Sultan A. AlMalki","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101984","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101984","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Mental health is bidirectionally associated with oral disorders Therefore, this study aims at assessing self-reported mental illness and oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) of group of university students in Riyadh city of Saudi Arabia.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>A cross-sectional study using a self-reported questionnaire that has several components such as Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) to identify the impact of oral health on different aspects of life and global rating of oral health, and mental health status by using Arabic translation of (depression (PHQ9-9items) and (generalized anxiety (GAD7-7 items) among group of university male and female students. All descriptive and correlation analysis were performed using STATA program (STATA Corp, College station, TX, US).</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>A total of 614 participants. 205 (33.4 %) of participants had high scores of OHIP-14 which indicates the negative effect on their quality of life. They reported facing difficulty pronouncing certain words due to oral-related issues by 71(11.6 %). A statistically significant correlation was found between participants who reported mental disorders and high OHIP-14 mean score. Findings showed that participant who reported having severe depression had the highest OHIP-14 mean score (19.3 SD ± 14.2) compared to participants with no depression or having mild or moderate depression, also those who reported having severe anxiety had highest OHIP-14 man score (16.3 SD ± 12.0) compared to participants with no anxiety or having mild or moderate anxiety.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>As findings indicated the negative impact on OHRQoL among participants with depression and anxiety, interventions should be planned in a comprehensive manner aiming at improving oral and mental health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101984"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143643792","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":"Activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule/CD166 as a non-invasive biomarker in women with breast cancer","authors":"Vemareddy Hemalatha ,&nbsp;Shabna Roupal ,&nbsp;Vanitharani Nagasubramanian ,&nbsp;Bhawna Dev ,&nbsp;S.D. Rajendran","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101974","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101974","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>ALCAM, as a non-invasive diagnostic biomarker, has the potential to revolutionize breast cancer screening by enabling early intervention and, ultimately, improving patient survival rates. This study investigated the ALCAM concentration and its diagnostic accuracy at the early stages of breast cancer (T1/T2, M0, N0).</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>A total of 81 early stage breast cancer patients confirmed by histopathology and 81 healthy female volunteers whose breast ultrasound or mammogram were normal were included in the study. Blood, saliva, and urine samples were collected from all the included participants, centrifuged at 3000 RPM for 10 min, and the supernatant was stored at −80 °C until analyzed for ALCAM expression by using the Human ALCAM ELISA Kit.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Receiver Operating Curves (ROC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic performance of the ALCAM biomarker in serum, saliva, and urine and were 0.947, 0.996, and 0.947, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, and cut-off values of ALCAM expression in serum (87.7, 84, and ≥49.5), saliva (95.5, 96.3, and ≥52.5), and urine (88.89, 89.19, and ≥55) were interpreted.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>ALCAM can be used to detect early breast cancers, showing better noninvasive diagnostic values. The study findings infer that ALCAM may represent a biomarker for breast cancer, which may have potential utility as a diagnostic tool as per the sensitivity and specificity values obtained.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101974"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641862","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":"Musculoskeletal disorders among the handloom weavers in odisha, India: A cross-sectional study","authors":"Ashish Kumar Meher ,&nbsp;T.K. Venkatachalapathy ,&nbsp;Prasant Kumar Panda","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101965","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101965","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Handloom weaving is a repetitive manual work activity. It requires physical motion patterns, rapid motions without rest breaks, and increased muscle tension, which can make the handloom weavers prone to developing musculoskeletal syndrome.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The aim of the study was to investigate the occupational health issues, especially musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), experienced by handloom weavers in the Indian state of Odisha. It also examined the socio-demographic factors significantly contributing to their musculoskeletal health issues.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>For this purpose, a cross-sectional study was conducted by collecting primary data from 435 active handloom weavers in the Bargarh district of Odisha. The age range of the participants was 18–69 years and around 99 per cent of them were male. Marginal effects of the potential explanatory variables contributing to the musculoskeletal health issues of the handloom weavers were estimated with the help of binomial logistic regression analysis.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The study revealed that around 80 % of the weavers suffered from work-related musculoskeletal health problems. It includes pain/discomfort in different body parts. The major socio-demographic factors significantly contributing to the musculoskeletal disorders among the weavers were age, marital status, interest in weaving work, and engagement in non-occupational activities.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The study identified occupational health problems particularly MSDs highly prevalent among handloom weavers and the factors contributing to MSDs. Policies such as regular health camps, health insurance, awareness of occupational health issues, preventive healthcare practices, and intermittent breaks are suggested to minimize the risk of work-related MSDs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101965"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641861","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":"Empowerment components related to smoking prevention among male students: A cross-sectional study","authors":"Naser Sharafkhani ,&nbsp;Mehrnoosh Jasemzadeh ,&nbsp;Mostafa jiba ,&nbsp;Leili Rabiei ,&nbsp;Arash Salahshouri","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101972","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101972","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Smoking is one of the unhygienic behaviors in human societies and unfortunately, its increasing prevalence among all classes especially students as effective role models in society, has caused many concerns. This study aimed to investigate the components of empowerment in connection with the adoption of smoking prevention behaviors (SPB) in male students at Azad University of Ahvaz.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The present study was of a descriptive-analytical type, which was conducted with the participation of 315 male students between 2021 and 2022. Sampling was stratified-random. The data collection tool of this study was a questionnaire containing demographic characteristics and questions related to various empowerment components concerning smoking prevention and the adoption of SPB. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical methods, including prevalence, mean, standard deviation, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and linear regression, using SPSS 22 software.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results of this study showed that 18.06 % of the students were active smokers while 75.88 % of them had smoking experience. Also, the results of the study showed that among the components related to empowering students about smoking prevention, self-efficacy, negative attitude towards smoking, social support, self-esteem, and anti-smoking policies were the most important predictors of smoking behavior with a change variance of 39.5 % (R² = 0.395).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Considering the unaffordability of the average score of adopting SPB among the students, the necessity of designing and implementing interventions to improve the student's abilities in smoking prevention is greatly felt.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101972"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143641860","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":"Utilization of insecticide-treated nets and factors influencing it among caregivers of children under five in Butiama district, Tanzania","authors":"Magnus Michael Sichalwe ,&nbsp;Regnald Raymond Kimaro ,&nbsp;Shadya Ramadhan mhinte","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101978","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101978","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Malaria remains a leading cause of disease and death among children under five in Tanzania, particularly in Butiama, Mara, where its prevalence is high despite ongoing prevention efforts. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors influencing insecticide-treated net (ITN) use among caregivers in Butiama to enhance malaria prevention and child health outcomes.</div></div><div><h3>Methodology</h3><div>The study used a community-based cross-sectional design with multistage sampling to select 384 caregivers of children under five in Butiama District. Data were collected in April–May 2024 using a Swahili questionnaire on Kobo Toolbox. SPSS version 26.0 was used for analysis, including data cleaning, univariate descriptive statistics, bivariate analysis using chi-squared tests assessed relationships between categorical variables, and multivariate analysis to identify predictors at p &lt; 0.05.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the participants, 82.3 % owned a mosquito net, and 50.8 % used it the night before the study. Female participants were more likely to use ITNs than males (AOR = 3.572, P = 0.001), and those with primary education had higher odds of ITN use compared to those with no formal education (AOR = 2.281, P = 0.017). Knowledge of correct ITN use timing, especially starting immediately after delivery, was a strong predictor of usage (AOR = 2.918, P = 0.044). Self-employed were 36.6 % less likely to use ITNs compared to farmers and homemakers (AOR = 0.366, P = 0.037).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study found ITN usage at 50.8 %, lower than the national average. Females, those with primary education, and individuals knowledgeable about appropriate usage timing were more likely to use ITNs. Targeted, gender-sensitive educational campaigns are needed to increase ITN adoption and improve malaria prevention.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101978"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143611030","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":"The association between oral health and mild cognitive impairment among Iranian older adults: A cross-sectional study from Ardakan Cohort Study on Aging (ACSA)","authors":"Ahmad Delbari ,&nbsp;Fatemeh Ghavidel ,&nbsp;Mohammad Bidkhori ,&nbsp;Elham Hooshmand ,&nbsp;Mohammad Saatchi ,&nbsp;Jalil Efati ,&nbsp;Vahid Rashedi","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101979","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101979","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Ensuring daily oral health is paramount in the prevention of oral diseases, such as cavities and periodontal diseases, particularly among at-risk populations, including older adults with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) and dementia. This study investigated the association between oral health and MCI in the Iranian older adult population.</div></div><div><h3>Materials and methods</h3><div>Data from 3368 participants in the Ardakan Cohort Study on Aging (ACSA) during the first wave (2020–2022) were utilized for cross-sectional analysis. Trained personnel administered questionnaires and conducted oral health assessments. MCI was assessed using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) for literate individuals and the Abbreviated Mental Test Score (AMTS) for illiterate individuals.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The overall prevalence of MCI among participants was 20.8 %. Univariate regression analysis indicated that the use of dentures, Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index, missing teeth, filled teeth, and issues related to mastication function were significantly associated with MCI (p &lt; 0.05). After adjusting for confounding variables such as age, sex, education, smoking, body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, anxiety, and depression, it was found that DMFT index (OR = 1.02; 95 % CI:1.01 to 1.04), missing teeth (OR = 1.02; 95 % CI:1.01 to 1.03), filled teeth (OR = 0.86; 95 % CI: 0.81 to 0.91) and complete dentures (OR = 1.59; 95 % CI:1.08 to 2.36) remained significantly associated with MCI (p &lt; 0.05).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The findings of this study suggest that poor oral health was related to MCI among Iranian older adults. This highlights the critical need for heightened awareness and proactive management of oral health, given its far-reaching implications for physical, cognitive, and overall well-being.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101979"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143601097","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":"Short and long-term side effects of eligible COVID-19 vaccines in Saudi Arabia, Southern Region, 2023","authors":"Arif Ahmed AL Qahtani ,&nbsp;Hassan Ahmed Korairi ,&nbsp;Mohammad Ali Alzaedy ,&nbsp;Moshabab Abdallah Al Nasher ,&nbsp;Ali Saad Alshahrani ,&nbsp;Noha Saleh Mohamed ,&nbsp;Omar Mohammed Alzahrani ,&nbsp;Khattab mohammed Aboudi Ahamed ,&nbsp;Jamilah Hadi Al Ali ,&nbsp;Mohammed Ahmed Alqahtani ,&nbsp;Ahmed Youssef Abouelyazid","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101975","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101975","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The mainstay of COVID-19 prevention is vaccination. Nonetheless, ongoing monitoring of the short- or long-term side effects of different vaccination types is required. According to post-marketing research the types and rates of adverse events reported by vaccine recipients have varied much. Hence, adverse effects should be appropriately monitored as vaccines become more widely available worldwide.</div></div><div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>a study was designed to assess the possible side effects of COVID-19 vaccines either on a short (up to 3 days) or long-term (up to 2 months) scale.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A hospital-based cross-sectional study with an analytical component was conducted to determine the prevalence and to compare side effects among the vaccinated population. Data were collected during three months at outpatient clinics in Southern Region, Saudi Arabia. A validated questionnaire was used to cover the participants’ demographic data, medical anamneses, COVID-19-related anamneses, and possible side effects.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The most common side effects were 79.9 % myalgia, 78.1 % fever, 57.3 % bone pain, 56 % fatigue, 54.9 % joint pain, 48.7 % injection site pain, 40.1 % arm numbness, 37.8 % headache, 36.2 % low back pain, 18 % common cold, 14.3/5 cough, dizziness, 14.1 % shortness of breath, 11.2 % sneezing and 10.7 % sore throat.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>A statistically significant difference is detected between different types of vaccine as regards most side effects., Overweight and obese, subjects with education higher than secondary, presence of comorbidities, previous COVID-19 infection, and Pfizer vaccination recipients were the predictors of developing post-vaccination side effects. Common symptoms that are also associated with other vaccines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101975"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143619179","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":"Community health of knowledge and attitude towards cutaneous leishmaniasis among rural residents in Esfarayen county, North Khorasan province of Iran","authors":"Reza Shafiei ,&nbsp;Hamid Reza Shoraka ,&nbsp;Marzieh Mahmoodi Manesh ,&nbsp;Ahmad Gholami","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101973","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101973","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) poses a significant public health challenge in Esfarayen County, northeastern Iran. The knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of individuals regarding CL play a crucial role in controlling its spread in endemic areas. This study aimed to evaluate the KAP of 250 residents from three affected villages in Esfarayen.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This community-based, descriptive cross-sectional study employed a quasi-experimental interventional design. A 65-item questionnaire was used to assess participants' KAP concerning CL. Data were analyzed using independent samples t-tests, analysis of variance, and simple linear regression for inferential statistics.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Among the 250 participants, 47.2 % were male, and 52.8 % were female, with a mean age of 33 years (±13.85). Students comprised 34.8 % of the study population. While 90.4 % of participants had heard of CL and 91 % could identify its symptoms (e.g., cutaneous lesions), more than 60 % incorrectly attributed the transmission of CL to mosquito bites rather than sandflies. Participants' attitudes towards CL treatment were found to be unsatisfactory. Chi-square tests revealed a significant association between occupation, educational level, and awareness of the disease (p &lt; 0.001).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The findings underscore the urgent need for targeted health education programs to enhance residents' knowledge of CL and promote their active involvement in disease control efforts in the region.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"33 ","pages":"Article 101973"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143619250","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":"Distribution and risk factors for childhood visual deficiency in Morocco: Case – control study","authors":"Loulidi Soukaina ,&nbsp;Loukid Mohamed ,&nbsp;Boussaa Samia","doi":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101969","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cegh.2025.101969","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Visual impairment and blindness in children are a public health issue that needs to be addressed by health and government authorities. Our research aimed to identify the risk factors for childhood blindness and visual impairment in a region of Morocco.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A case-control study was conducted in Marrakech-Safi region, in central Morocco, at the ophthalmology department of Errazi Hospital and in the diagnostic centre of Mohammed VI University Hospital Centre, as well as at the Abou El Abbas Sebti Institute for the Education of the Blind. 144 cases of visually impaired or blind children and 218 sighted control children from the same age group participated in the survey, which was carried out between November 2021 and October 2022 using the WHO/PBL questionnaire and analysed by SPSS 16.0.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>The results showed the predominance of cataracts (43 %), followed by refractive error (26.4 %) and glaucoma (23.6 %). In youngsters, the primary cause of vision impairment is 63.2 % heredity. Thus, 50 % of children have a three-degree family history, with first-degree dominance accounting for 77.8 % of the total, and a significant association was detected for this variable (OR = 1.795, 95 % CI: 1.170–2.754). 60.4 % of children have ocular diseases from birth, and 24.3 % of parents were consanguineous marriages, however there was no significant association.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Preventing visual abnormalities in children requires addressing the hereditary factor. Being the first of its kind in the area, our study's findings offer a valuable database for improved tracking of strategies used to prevent early blindness and visual impairment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":46404,"journal":{"name":"Clinical Epidemiology and Global Health","volume":"32 ","pages":"Article 101969"},"PeriodicalIF":2.3,"publicationDate":"2025-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143549886","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}