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Background. Refractive errors are the most common cause of visual impairment worldwide. Its proportion varied among societies and is considered as a public health challenge. Symptoms and signs associated with refractive errors are the most worrisome and common presentations in the general practice in eye clinics. Aim. The goal of this study was to determine the types and presentations of refractive error among the 0–30-year-old Yemeni population to aid early identification, diagnosis, referral, and treatment. Methodology. A cross-sectional study including 1,500 out-patients aged from 0 to 30 years attending the ophthalmology clinic in Sanaa, Yemen (between 2012 and 2015). All patients underwent visual acuity examination, autorefractometer, and anterior and posterior segment examination and were grouped according to type, that is, myopia, hyperopia, and astigmatism. Results. Hyperopia was the most common single diagnosis (53.3%) followed by myopia (33.3%). Astigmatism was uncommon as a single diagnosis (13.4%) but commonly associated with hyperopia or myopia. Myopia was more common in males (42.9%) than in females (25%). Hyperopia was more in females (62.5%) than in males (42.9%). Age groups most affected by refractive errors were 13–18 years (27.7%), 19–24 years (24.8%), and 25–30 years (24.6%), respectively. Decreased vision (53%) was a common presentation in myopia and astigmatism (41.5%) and less in hyperopia (39.6%). Headache was common in astigmatism (56%), hyperopia (28.8%), and myopia (17.8%). Muscle imbalance, namely, exotropia (27.2%), is mainly found in myopia and esotropia (24.3%) in hyperopia. Conclusions. In addition to decreased vision, our patients with refractive errors mostly complain of headaches with clear variations with age and type of refractive error. Early identification and proper categorization of refractive errors by age, gender, and other demographics by general physicians in primary care can better deduce and make useful referrals to eye specialists.

Atopic Dermatitis, or Eczema, is one of the most common skin inflammation disorders worldwide. The disease has high prevalence rate, socioeconomic costs, and lacks the availability of curative and preventative measures. The burden of the disorder has been increasing over the past few decades for several reasons that are yet to be understood. In this study, we investigate the effects of several risk factors on the development of AD in 4-12 month old infants attending PHCC centers across Qatar. A total of 775 participants completed a questionnaire that addressed risk factors associated with AD. 121 of the 775 (15.6%) subjects had confirmed diagnoses of some form of AD (mild, moderate, or severe) while the rest were in the non-AD group n=654 (84.4%). Multiple factors, previously thought to influence the occurrence of AD, were proven to have no association with the disorder's occurrence. Those factors include the duration of pregnancy, the type of delivery, breastfeeding, artificial milk feeding, and weaning age. Moreover, we found genetics to play a significant role in determining a child's predisposition to developing AD in their first year of life (p<0.05). By ruling out those factors, we can move forward to determine other key factors that may play a role in causing AD in young children in Qatar and worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: COVID 19 disease has a wide spectrum of severity. This has made the study of the risk factors affecting the severity, open for research, beginning from blood grouping to obesity and other comorbidities. The infectious nature of the disease made it important to take very strict measures in infection control through all the medical facilities. Maintaining the wellbeing of health care workers is a priority during this pandemic Aim: This study aims to find out the prevalence of COVID - 19 among PHCC staff during the period of March to end of September 2020 and to correlate between the place of work and position of the staff and to determine the risk factors associated with COVID-19 infection (age, gender, pre-existing Comorbidities, and workplace). Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study design without any staff identifiers, data for all PHCC staff attending primary health care and their characteristics: Sociodemographic data: Age, Gender, Nationality, Weight, Height, BMI, Job title, PCR test results, Medical history, Place of Work (health care center), blood group captured through medical electronic system (CERNER). Results: A total 5,062 staff were included, 1,541 (30.4 %) were males, 3,521 (69.6%) were females. Overall positive COVID19 cases were 489 representing 9.7% of the sample and the total negative cases were 4,573 representing 90.3% of the sample. 348 (71.2%) positive cases were females and 141 (28.8%) positive cases were males. Of the total sample, medical staff were 4,061 and the non-medical sample were 1,001. Among medical staff the positive cases were 349 (8.6%) and 140 positive cases were non-medical staff, 14 % of 1001 total cases. Conclusion: Although PHCC also adopted a staff protection policy which included the waiver of attendance registration, the use of (masks, gloves, PPE), hand hygiene, isolation rooms for swabbing and the proper management of medical waste that resulted from dealing with COVID -19 patients, the prevalence of Covid 19 infection among PHCC staff during the period from march first till 30 September found to be 9.7 %, but neither the position at work or comorbidities were found to be statistically significant with COVID 19 infection. Pharmacists were the most exposed medical staff category to COVID19 infection due to direct contact with all patients visiting PHCC, while dentists were second because they dealt with open mouth patients. Of non-medical staff, cashiers and billing staff were the highest category because the deal with all visitors and are exposed to probably infected material ( redit cards, currency) in addition to lack of awareness and training. No statistical significant results were found among comorbidities cases, reflecting the fact that their exposure is not affected by exposure at work rather than their community exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]