Search

Digital eye strain (DES) is a growing occupational and public health problem and one of the most frequent reasons for seeking medical care. The objectives of this study are to identify the prevalence and to study some associated personal, ergonomic, and environmental factors of DES among information technology (IT) professionals at Tanta University, Egypt. An interview questionnaire was used to collect data related to socio-demographic, job, ergonomic and environmental characteristics. Computer vision syndrome questionnaire (CVS-Q) was used for the assessment of DES. It was used to measure ocular and visual symptoms related to computer use. CVS-Q includes 16 symptoms that are scored using two rating scales, one for frequency and the other for intensity. A total of 108 IT professionals were included. Prevalence of DES was 82.41%. The most common symptoms were headache (81.5%), burning of the eye (75.9%), and blurred vision (70.4%). Significant predictors of DES were female gender (OR = 2.845), age ≥ 35 years (OR = 1.112), daily computer use more than 6 h (OR = 1.351), duration of work more than 10 years (OR = 1.793), wearing corrective glasses (OR = 5.009), distance from the monitor less than 20 in. (OR = 4.389), not using antiglare screen (OR = 0.214), no brightness adjustment of screen (OR = 0.015), not taking break time during computer work (OR = 0.007), exposure to air pollution (OR = 5.667), use of the air conditioner (OR = 23.021), and exposure to windy environments (OR = 3.588). Prevalence of DES was found to be high among IT professionals. Significant predictors of DES were female gender, older age, wearing eyeglasses, long duration of computer use, unadjusted ergonomic workstation, and dry environment. DES is a problem that can be prevented by increasing knowledge and awareness about DES by providing computer users with eye health education, periodic training on a proper ergonomic computer workstation, and adjustment of the suitable comfortable workplace environment.

Background: MRSA is the most commonly known antimicrobial-resistant organism in hospitals worldwide. Objectives: This study aimed to detect the prevalence of MRSA carriage and its antibiogram among HCWs in Tanta University hospitals to improve infection control and preventive measures. Methodology: 223 nasal swabs from HCWs were inoculated onto Mannitol salt agar. Detection of MRSA was performed phenotypically using cefoxitin disc diffusion test on Muller–Hinton agar plates. Confirmation of MRSA was done by determining minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of oxacillin by using E Test Strips. Results: Amongst the HCWs, 88 doctors and 135 nurses were randomly selected. The overall frequency of S. aureus nasal carriage was 129/223. Of the 129 S. aureus isolates, (17%) were MRSA. Internal medicine had a high proportion of MRSA positive (36.4%). (63.6%) of the MRSA positive HCWs had a history of using antibiotics during the past 3 months. A high frequency (77.3%) of MRSA was detected among nurses. (50%) HCWs with 5:10 years of working experience were colonized with MRSA. Conclusion: Multi-drug resistant organisms such as MRSA are a major public health challenge. Colonized HCWs are asymptomatic carriers and can transmit MRSA to vulnerable patients. To control the transmission of MRSA in hospitals, multidisciplinary efforts are recommended to implement and improve infection control policies.

Background: COVID-19 is the latest global pandemic. To date, no antiviral treatment or vaccine has been explicitly recommended for it. Therefore, applying preventive measures to control its spread is the most critical intervention. Perceived risk and attitude determines population’s reaction.Objectives: study perceptions, attitude and practices towards COVID-19 among EgyptiansMethods: The study was cross-sectional using a snowball nonrandom sample from public population of Egyptian Community. They were asked to fulfill predesigned online questionnaire that was available from 16th to 24th March 2020.Results: The study included 1663 participants from all governorates of Egypt. More than half were at age group 21-30 years, 64.3% females and 85.1% students. Main source of information was social media (46.4%). Most of Participants had positive attitude and moderate degree of fear. Only 25.4% of students satisfied with distance learning, 41.4% of participants believe that they are susceptible to infection and 61% believe in seriousness of the disease. About half of participants reported that they follow preventive precautions. Majority of participants (81.3%) believe in effectiveness of these precautions. Participant’s practices were relatively satisfactory except for wearing protective masks, movement of families outside home, reducing touch of nose and eyes, and getting enough sleeping hours. Binary logistic regression identified that significant predictors of good practice were female sex, belief in susceptibility, seriousness, and effectiveness of precautions.On conclusion: Obligatory wearing of masks was an important governmental necessary step and to improve population reaction to control COVID-19, we need to promote realistic risk perceptions and effective attitudes.

In Egypt, there are 8.9 million adult diabetics using almost 16 million insulin injection devices daily. Unsafe disposal of these sharps will result in many environmental and public health hazards. This study aimed at evaluating knowledge and practice of diabetic patients toward safe disposal of insulin injection devices. Cross-sectional study and health education sessions were carried out at diabetic outpatient clinic of the Internal Medicine Department, Tanta University Hospitals in Middle Delta, Egypt, during a period of 2 months (November through December 2019). The study enrolled diabetics who were > 12 years age, using insulin therapy for > 1 year, and females that do not have gestational diabetes. By using systematic random sampling, 450 patients were selected from diabetic patients attending the clinic during the period of the study. Patients’ knowledge and practice of insulin injection device disposal were assessed and evaluated using predesigned questionnaire. Verbal health education message and printed pamphlet were given to illustrate safe disposal. Out of the selected samples, 429 completed the questionnaires. Out of those participants, 85.5% had poor knowledge and only 13.5% had good practice. A total of 86.5% dispose at household collection bin, 65.3% reuse syringe, and 63.21% throw it at the nearest garbage bin when takes the injection outside home. Binary logistic regression revealed that female sex (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 2.37; 95% confidence (CI), 1.13–4.94; p = 0.022), rural residence (AOR, 3.05; 95% CI, 1.62-5.72; p = 0.001) and low income (AOR = 2.11; 95% CI, 1.06–4.18; p = 0.033) were the main predicting sociodemographic factors for poor practice. Meanwhile, syringe usage (AOR = 2.81; 95% CI, 1.31–6.03; p = 0.008), twice daily schedule (AOR = 2.82; 95% CI, 1.51–5.26; p = 0.001), patient himself as injection provider (AOR = 2.268; 95% CI, 1.18–4.36; p = 0.014), and unawareness of how to dispose sharps safely (AOR = 7.33; 95% CI, 3.58–14.99; p < 0.001) were the predicting factors of bad practice related to patient and treatment characteristic. Vast majority of studied diabetic patients do not use or dispose insulin injection devices safely. As the problem is nationwide, an integrated nationwide program is needed including a structured health education module for diabetic patients and a system for collection of home insulin sharps from those patients and disposing them safely.

Digital eye strain (DES) is a growing occupational and public health problem and one of the most frequent reasons for seeking medical care. The objectives of this study are to identify the prevalence and to study some associated personal, ergonomic, and environmental factors of DES among information technology (IT) professionals at Tanta University, Egypt. An interview questionnaire was used to collect data related to socio-demographic, job, ergonomic and environmental characteristics. Computer vision syndrome questionnaire (CVS-Q) was used for the assessment of DES. It was used to measure ocular and visual symptoms related to computer use. CVS-Q includes 16 symptoms that are scored using two rating scales, one for frequency and the other for intensity. A total of 108 IT professionals were included. Prevalence of DES was 82.41%. The most common symptoms were headache (81.5%), burning of the eye (75.9%), and blurred vision (70.4%). Significant predictors of DES were female gender (OR = 2.845), age ≥ 35 years (OR = 1.112), daily computer use more than 6 h (OR = 1.351), duration of work more than 10 years (OR = 1.793), wearing corrective glasses (OR = 5.009), distance from the monitor less than 20 in. (OR = 4.389), not using antiglare screen (OR = 0.214), no brightness adjustment of screen (OR = 0.015), not taking break time during computer work (OR = 0.007), exposure to air pollution (OR = 5.667), use of the air conditioner (OR = 23.021), and exposure to windy environments (OR = 3.588). Prevalence of DES was found to be high among IT professionals. Significant predictors of DES were female gender, older age, wearing eyeglasses, long duration of computer use, unadjusted ergonomic workstation, and dry environment. DES is a problem that can be prevented by increasing knowledge and awareness about DES by providing computer users with eye health education, periodic training on a proper ergonomic computer workstation, and adjustment of the suitable comfortable workplace environment.