Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Estimation Of The Burden Of Out-Of-Hospital Traumatic Cardiac Arrest In Karachi, Pakistan, Using A Cross-Sectional Capture-Recapture Analysis, Minaz Mawani, Syed Iqbal Azam, Muhammad Masood Kadir, Zainab Samad, Junaid Abdul Razzak

Community Health Sciences

Background: The burden of trauma-related-out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in developing countries like Pakistan remains largely unexplored due to a lack of organized pre-hospital systems. In order to estimate the burden, we used a two-sample capture-recapture method which has been used in several domains to estimate difficult-to-count populations.
Methods: We obtained 3-month data from two sources: Records of two major EMS (emergency medical services) systems and five major hospitals providing coverage to the city's population. All adults with traumatic OHCA were included. Information on variables such as name, age, gender, date and time of arrest, cause of arrest, and destination hospital …

A Multicenter Case Control Study Of Association Of Vitamin D With Breast Cancer Among Women In Karachi, Pakistan, Uzma Shamsi, Shaista Khan, Syed Iqbal Azam, Aysha Habib, Amir Maqbool, Mohammad Hanif, Tiffany Gill, Romaina Iqbal, David Callen

Community Health Sciences

Background: The prevalence of vitamin D inadequacy and breast cancer are both high among women living in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods: A matched case control study was conducted in two hospitals of Karachi, Pakistan to evaluate the association of vitamin D (serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D) concentrations, vitamin D supplementation and sun exposure with breast cancer among Pakistani women. A total of 411 newly diagnosed histologically confirmed primary breast cancer cases were enrolled and 784 controls, free of breast and any other cancers, were matched by age (year of birth ± 5 years), residence in the same geographic area and study site. Information …

Vaccine Effectiveness And Risk Factors Associated With Measles Among Children Presenting To The Hospitals Of Karachi, Pakistan., Aysha Zahidie, Saba Wasim, Zafar Fatmi

Community Health Sciences

OBJECTIVE:

To determine the risk factors regarding guardian's practices associated with development of Measles and also find out effectiveness of Measles vaccine among children less than 12 years of age presenting to the hospitals of Karachi.

STUDY DESIGN:

Matched case control study.

PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY:

Multicenter surveillance was conducted in 11 public and private sector hospitals of Karachi from January 2011 to September 2012 in consultation with World Health Organization Measles Surveillance Cell.

METHODOLOGY:

Cases were children aged less than 12 years with Measles presenting to the hospitals. Controls for cases were enrolled from the same hospitals without …

Situation Analysis Of Child Labour In Karachi, Pakistan: A Qualitative Study, Asaad Ahmed Nafees, Kausar S. Khan, Zafar Fatmi, Mubashir Aslam

Community Health Sciences

In Karachi, large employment opportunities, burgeoning population and the availability of cheap labour might be the contributing factors for the increasing prevalence of child labour. A literature review was conducted in 2007 that included published and unpublished literature since 2000. Various organizations working in the field were also covered, while the perception of the child labourers was covered through three focus group discussions. Common health issues among the child labourers in Karachi included respiratory illnesses, fever and generalised pains, as well as drug and sexual abuse. Organisations working for child labour could be broadly categorised into those working for legal …

Knowledge And Awareness About Cervical Cancer And Its Prevention Amongst Interns And Nursing Staff In Tertiary Care Hospitals In Karachi, Pakistan., Syed Faizan Ali, Samia Ayub, Nauman Fazal Manzoor, Sidra Azim, Muneeza Afif, Nida Akhtar, Wassi Ali Jafery, Imran Tahir, Syed Farid-Ul-Hasnian, Najam Uddin

Community Health Sciences

Background and Objective: Cervical cancer is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality amongst the gynecological cancers worldwide, especially in developing countries. It is imperative for at least health professionals in developing countries like Pakistan to have a sound knowledge about the disease. This study was carried out to assess the knowledge and awareness about cervical cancer and its prevention amongst health professionals in tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan.
Methods and Design: A cross-sectional, interview based survey was conducted in June, 2009. Sample of 400 was divided between the three tertiary care centers. Convenience sampling was applied …

Prevalence And Predictors Of Smokeless Tobacco Use Among High-School Males In Karachi, Pakistan, S Rozi, S Akhtar

Community Health Sciences

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 3 towns in Karachi, Pakistan to investigate the prevalence of and factors associated with the use of smokeless tobacco among 772 high-school adolescent males. A structured questionnaire collected data on sociodemographic factors and history of cigarette and smokeless tobacco use. Prevalence of smokeless tobacco use (gutka, snuff, niswar) was 16.1% (95% CI: 13.5%-18.9%). On multiple logistic regression analysis, the factors significantly related to smokeless tobacco use among the sample were: attending government school [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 6.3], smoking cigarettes (OR 3.2), not seeing anti-tobacco advertisements (OR 1.5), family history of tobacco use (OR …

Cost Of Diabetes Care In Out-Patient Clinics Of Karachi, Pakistan, Liaquat A. Khowaja, Ali K. Khuwaja, Peter Cosgrove

Community Health Sciences

Background: Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a growing epidemic and the cost of treating diabetes is largely increasing. The objective of this study was to estimate the cost-of-illness of DM among attendees of out-patient clinics in Karachi, Pakistan. This is the first study conducted from a societal perspective to estimate the cost of managing diabetes in Pakistan.Methods: A prevalence-based 'Cost-of-Illness' study for diabetes care was conducted in six different out-patient clinics of Karachi, Pakistan from July to September 2006. A pre-tested questionnaire was administered to collect the data from 345 randomly selected persons with diabetes.Results: The annual mean direct cost for …

Socio-Demographic Correlates Of Betel, Areca And Smokeless Tobacco Use As A High Risk Behavior For Head And Neck Cancers In A Squatter Settlement Of Karachi, Pakistan, Samia Mazahir, Rabia Malik, Maria Maqsood, Kanwal Aliraza Merchant, Farida Malik, Atif Majeed, Zafar Fatmi, Muhammad Rizwanulhaq Khawaja, Shehzad Ghaffar

Community Health Sciences

Background

Head and neck cancers are a major cancer burden in Pakistan. They share a common risk factor profile including regular consumption of products of betel, areca and tobacco. Use of paan, chaalia, gutka, niswar and tumbaku is acceptable in Pakistan and is considered a normal cultural practice. This cross-sectional study was carried out to understand the relation of socio-demographic factors for the consumption of paan, chaalia, gutka, niswar and tumbaku in Pakistani population. Through systematic sampling, 425 subjects from a squatter settlement in Karachi were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. High risk behavior was defined as Daily use of …

Psycho-Social Consequences Of Secondary Infertility In Karachi., Neelofar Sami, Tazeen Saeed Ali

Community Health Sciences

OBJECTIVE:

To explore the experiences of social consequences among women suffering from secondary infertility.

METHODS:

Descriptive case series of 400 women with secondary infertility attending tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan.

RESULTS:

More than two thirds (67.7%) of women stated that their inability to give live births or give birth to sons had resulted in marital dissonance. The respondents had been threatened for divorce (20%), husband's remarrying (38%) or to be returned to their parent's home (26%) by their in laws or husbands. Majority (68%) of the women threatened did not have any live births. However, those who had live …

Views About Women's Mental Health: Study In A Squatter Settlement Of Karachi., Fauziah Rabbani

Community Health Sciences

OBJECTIVE:

Mental health of women is globally receiving particular attention. This study assessed community's view on certain aspects of women's mental health prior to introducing an intervention.

SETTING:

The study was conducted in an urban squatter settlement located in District West of Karachi in 1997 where the Aga Khan University has set up a Primary Health Care program in partnership with the communities.

METHODS:

Using convenient sampling, door to door household survey was conducted by medical students.

RESULTS:

Two hundred and eighty one residents were interviewed. Respondents were asked to list contributory factors which lead to mental distress in women. …