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Consanguinity, the marriage between relatives, has been associated with adverse child health outcomes because it increases homozygosity of recessive alleles. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of consanguinity on the birth weight of newborns in Greater Beirut, Lebanon. Cross-sectional data were collected on 10,289 consecutive liveborn singleton newborns admitted to eight hospitals belonging to the National Collaborative Perinatal Neonatal Network during the years 2000 and 2001. Birth weight was modeled by use of the fetal growth ratio, defined as the ratio of the observed birth weight to the median birth weight for gestational age. A mixed-effect multiple linear regression model was used to predict the net effect of first- and second-cousin marriage on the birth weight for gestational age, accounting for within-hospital clustering of data. After controlling for medical and sociodemographic covariates, the authors found a statistically significant negative association between consanguinity and birth weight at each gestational age. No significant difference was observed in the decrease in birth weight between the first- and second-cousin marriages. Overall, consanguinity was associated with a decrease in birth weight for gestational age by 1.8% (beta = -0.018, 95% confidence interval: -0.027, -0.008). The largest effects on fetal growth were seen with lower parity and smoking during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This paper examines the effect of household crowding on inter-pregnancy spacing and its association with socioeconomic indicators, among parous mothers delivered in an urban environment. Design: Cross sectional survey. Methods: Sociodemographic data were obtained on 2466 parous women delivering at eight hospitals in Greater Beirut over a one year period. Statistical methodology comprised Pearson χ² test and logistic regression analysis. Main results: A significant inverse relation was observed between household crowding and socioeconomic status, defined as education and occupation of women and their spouses. Inter-pregnancy spacing increased with higher levels of crowding. Further analysis suggested that this positive association was confounded by maternal demographic characteristics. Conclusions: These data have shown that household crowding, a correlate of low parental socioeconomic status, is associated with longer birth intervals. This association, however, seems to be largely explained by maternal age and parity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine the impact of routine urinalysis at admission on inpatient care at a hospital in Lebanon, where physicians perceive it to be a valuable diagnostic tool, in a country where preventive services are underdeveloped and where the epidemiology of kidney diseases possibly differs from that of the western world. Setting: American University Hospital, a tertiary teaching hospital in Beirut, Lebanon. Methods: A retrospective medical record review of all adult patients admitted over 2 weeks to the medicine and surgery wards of the American University Hospital. Outcomes measured were frequency of routine urinalysis versus urinalysis for a clinical indication, investigation of abnormal test results, and implications of test results on clinical management. Results: 367 (79%) of 462 study patients underwent urinalysis. 266 (73%) patients had routine urinalysis. Abnormal results were found in 97(37%) routine tests and 67 (66%) of those clinically indicated urinalysis (p<0.001). Abnormalities were investigated in 21 (22%) of the abnormal routine urinalyses and 45 (67%) of the abnormal clinically indicated urinalyses (p<0.001). Logistic regression analysis showed no factors to correlate positively with investigation of abnormal urinalysis. Treatment was given to two (1%) patients who had had routine urinalysis and 26 (26%) of all those tested because of a clinical indication (p<0.001). Conclusions: Clinical response to any abnormal urinalysis is more likely when a urine test is done for a clinical indication. In this study setting, impact of routine admission urinalysis on patient care was negligible. Despite physicians' perception of routine urinalysis being a valuable case finding tool, in this study its true value remains questionable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A pilot survey was designed to define incidence, rotation period, rotation direction and cycle of shiftwork plans in the production and service units in Kuwait. Preliminary results from the Ministry of Interior showed that four different shift plans are widely used. Forty policemen, ten from each shift plan, volunteered to fill in a diary for a period of two or more cycles. The diary was comprised of a set of questions planned to reveal disturbances in sleep duration, sleep quality, food intake and appetite. The daily questionnaire also covered psychosomatic complaints and subjective judgement of recovery. A control group, on permanent day work, volunteered to fill in the diary for the same period. The results indicated that one of the four shift plans was quite satisfactory and least harmful to the policemen. Two plans were associated with excessive strain during working days, but the number of free days was sufficient to achieve complete recovery. The fourth plan was associated with excessive strain during working days and recovery was not achieved after 24h of rest at the end of the shift cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immigrant workers in the United Kingdom account for 7.8% of the working population. Their health problems fall into three groups--imported diseases, occupational accidents, and acquired diseases. In the latter group, tuberculosis is still a major problem. A retrospective study tracing notifiable cases of tuberculosis to points of entry at Heathrow Airport indicates that the majority of immigrants acquire the disease after entry. The occupational health services have a great role to play in detecting the new cases very early and in providing appropriate screening and follow-up. Proper co-ordination between occupational and community health services will give the best results and lead to a rapid decline of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immigrant workers in the United Kingdom account for 7.8% of the working population. Their health problems fall into three groups--imported diseases, occupational accidents, and acquired diseases. In the latter group, tuberculosis is still a major problem. A retrospective study tracing notifiable cases of tuberculosis to points of entry at Heathrow Airport indicates that the majority of immigrants acquire the disease after entry. The occupational health services have a great role to play in detecting the new cases very early and in providing appropriate screening and follow-up. Proper co-ordination between occupational and community health services will give the best results and lead to a rapid decline of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The reported prevalence of type 2 diabetes among the Kuwaiti population varied from one source to another. This study was undertaken to define the magnitude of the problem and to suggest plans for future diabetic care. All type 2 Kuwaiti diabetic subjects registered and continuing to attend regularly in two health areas Mubarak Health Area (MHA) and Farwania Health Area (FHA)] were selected for the study. There were 3222 in MHA and 5114 in FHA among the Kuwaiti population aged 20 years and above, accounting for a total crude prevalance of 7.6% in both health areas and for a prevalence rate of 5.6% in MHA and 10.0% in FHA. The age-specific prevalence of type 2 diabetes in both areas combined rose from 2.639 per 100 population in the age group 20-39 years to 15.350% and 26.252% in the age groups 40-59 and 60 and above, respectively. The female to male ratio was 1.7, 1.6, 1.1, respectively, in MHA and 1.7, 2.0, 0.9 in FHA for the age groups 20-39, 40-59, and 60 and above. This study shows that type 2 diabetes is a major public health problem in Kuwait, with a female preponderance. Obesity is a characteristic feature of the population studied, with a mean body mass index of 31.8±6.3 and 28.5±5.1 in women and men, respectively. A positive family history of diabetes mellitus was reported in 63% of the diabetic subjects. There is a need to standardize methods of reporting and to plan a national screening survey. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]