Family Medicine Commons^™

Elderly Musculoskeletal Disease Burden In Karachi, Pakistan: Associations And Implications For Developing Countries, Saniya Sabzwari, Zafar Fatmi, Adeel Ahmed Khan

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: The global rise in the older population has increased the rates of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, conditions that impact mobility and functionality. There is limited data on musculoskeletal disease in older populations residing in developing countries.
Methods: A community-based study using multistage cluster random sampling of older individuals was conducted in Karachi. Predefined criteria were used for osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. Gait assessment was performed.
Results: More than half of the participants were females and 53% reported illiteracy. Around 30% had osteoporosis and two-thirds had osteoarthritis. Multivariate analysis showed associations of female sex, Pashtun ethnicity, illiteracy, and hypertension with the combined …

Association Between Duration Of Residence And Prevalence Of Type 2 Diabetes Among Male South Asian Expatriate Workers In The United Arab Emirates: A Cross-Sectional Study, Syed Mahboob Shah, Lindsay M. Jaacks, Fatima Al-Maskari, Juma Al-Kaabi, Faisal Aziz, Elpidoforos Soteriades, Tom Loney, Hamed Farooqi, Anjum Memon, Raghib Ali

Department of Family Medicine

Expatriates account for about 80% of the total population in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This study aimed to evaluate the hypothesis that prevalence of type 2 diabetes in male South Asian expatriates increases with increased length of residence in the UAE.
Design, settings and participants: This cross-sectional study recruited a representative sample (n=1375) of male South Asian expatriates aged ≥18 years in Al Ain, UAE. Sociodemographic, anthropometric and lifestyle data were obtained using a pilot-tested adapted version of the WHO STEPS instrument.
Main outcome measures: Duration of residence was used as a marker for acculturation. Type 2 diabetes was …

Perceptions, Knowledge And Attitudes Towards The Concept And Approach Of Palliative Care Amongst Caregivers: A Cross-Sectional Survey In Karachi, Pakistan, Sameera Shah, Faizan Qaisar, Iqbal Azam Syed, Khairunnisa Mansoor

Department of Family Medicine

Background: Limited comprehension of the concept of palliative care and misconceptions about it are barriers to meaningful utilisation of palliative care programs. As caregivers play an integral role for patients with terminal illness, it is necessary to assess their perceptions and attitudes towards the palliative care approach.
Method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Data was collected from the Aga Khan Hospital in-patient and out-patient departments and home-based palliative care services. All adult caregivers who met the inclusion criteria and consented, completed a questionnaire till the sample size was reached. Univariate and multivariate multivariable analysis was done and results were reported …

Factors Associated With Geriatric Morbidity And Impairment In A Megacity Of Pakistan, Saniya Sabzwari, Romaina Iqbal, Zafar Fatmi, Iqbal Azam Syed

Department of Family Medicine

Background: The elderly population is increasing globally. In Pakistan, the elderly comprise 6% of the population that is predicted to triple by 2050. Non-communicable diseases are common health problems of the elderly in Pakistan, however, resulting geriatric impairments and disability are unknown. This study was conducted to determine geriatric impairments and identify associated socio-demographic factors and comorbidities among community dwelling elderly in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2013-2014. Community clusters were selected from all sub-districts of Karachi, the largest city of Pakistan. Data was collected from systematically selected households within these clusters from individuals, aged ≥60 …

Frequency And Factors Associated With Adult Immunization In Patients Visiting Family Medicine Clinics At A Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi, Samar Zaki, Asma Usman, Swaleha Tariq, Sameena Shah, Iqbal Azam Syed, Waris Qidwai, Kashmira Nanji

Department of Family Medicine

Objective: The goal of this study was to determine the frequency and factors associated with adult immunization in patients visiting family medicine clinics at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2014 to March 2015 in a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. Participants more than 18 years were invited to participate in the study. A pretested questionnaire was used to collect information. Data were entered and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 19.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp).
Results: A total of 340 patients were surveyed. The majority of patients …

Retrospective Analysis Of Metabolic Syndrome: Prevalence And Distribution In Executive Population In Urban Pakistan., Niloufer Sultan Ali, Ali Khan Khuwaja, Adnan Ur Rahman, Kashmira Nanji

Department of Family Medicine

Background. Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a major public health concern.

Objective. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of MetS, its components, and factors associated with MetS amongst apparently healthy individuals in Pakistan.

Methods. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted at the executive Clinics of Aga Khan Hospital, Pakistan. Medical records of patients aged ≥18 years visiting the clinics from July 2011 to December 2011 were consecutively reviewed. Records in which either MetS components data or 10% of overall data was missing were excluded. A total of 1329 participants’ records was included in final analysis. Data was …