Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

"Women Are Again Unsafe": Preventing Violence And Poor Maternal Outcomes During Current Floods In Pakistan, Sarmad Muhammad Soomar, Abir Arefin, Salman Muhammad Soomar

School of Nursing & Midwifery

No abstract provided.

Perpetuation Of Gender Discrimination In Pakistani Society: Results From A Scoping Review And Qualitative Study Conducted In Three Provinces Of Pakistan, Tazeen Saeed Ali, Shahnaz Shahid Ali, Sanober Nadeem, Zahid Memon, Sajid Bashir Soofi, Falak Madhani, Yasmin Karim, Shah Mohammad, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Background: Gender discrimination is any unequal treatment of a person based on their sex. Women and girls are most likely to experience the negative impact of gender discrimination. The aim of this study is to assess the factors that influence gender discrimination in Pakistan, and its impact on women's life.
Methods: A mixed method approach was used in the study in which a systematic review was done in phase one to explore the themes on gender discrimination, and qualitative interviews were conducted in phase two to explore the perception of people regarding gender discrimination. The qualitative interviews (in-depth interviews and …

Self-Medication Practices In Medical Students During The Covid-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Analysis, Farah Yasmin, Muhammad Sohaib Asghar, Unaiza Naeem, Hala Najeeb, Hamza Nauman, Muhammad Nadeem Ahsan, Abdullah Khan Khattak

Medical College Documents

Background and objectives: During the pandemic, the growing influence of social media, accessibility of over-the-counter medications, and fear of contracting the virus may have led to self-medication practices among the general public. Medical students are prone to such practices due to relevant background knowledge, and access to drugs. This study was carried out to determine and analyze the prevalence of self-medication practices among medical students in Pakistan.
Materials and methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted online in which the participants were asked about the general demographics, their self-medication practices and the reasons to use. All participants were currently enrolled …

Spatiotemporal Variation And Socioeconomic Factors Of Financial Hardships Of Out-Of-Pocket Health Expenditure In Pakistan, Muhammad Ashar Malik, Iqbal Azam Syed, Amir Khan, Faisal Rifaq, Kinza Chaudhary

Community Health Sciences

Background: Financial hardships of out-of-pocket health expenditure (OPHE) is a growing concern for health policy makers in many low and middle-income countries. Spatiotemporal variation between Pakistan's four provinces over 2001-2015 is discussed, which would help comparing existing health services delivery and financial risk protection plans.
Aims: In this paper, we estimate financial hardship of OPHE in Pakistan.
Methods: We use the data sets of the household integrated economic surveys 2001-02, 2005-06, 2010-11 and 2015-16. We estimate OPHE share in household total and non-subsistence expenditure, catastrophic headcount at the threshold of OPHE ≥ 10% of total expenditure or OPHE ≥ 25% …

Balancing Science And Public Policy In Pakistan's Covid-19 Response, Zulfiqar Ahmed Bhutta, Faisal Sultan, Aamer Ikram, Adil H. Haider, Assad Hafeez, Muhammad Islam

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected the world in an unprecedented manner and South Asian countries were among the first to experience imported cases. Pakistan's response to COVID-19 has been under scrutiny for its granularity, reach and impact.
Aims: to evaluate objectively the chronology and depth of the response to COVID-19 in Pakistan.
Methods: We evaluated available national and subnational epidemiological and burden information on COVID-19 cases and deaths in Pakistan, including projection models available to the Government at an early stage of the pandemic.
Results: Pakistan, with a population of 215 million and considerable geographic diversity, experienced case …

Violence And Abuse Among Working Children In Urban And Suburban Areas Of Lower Sindh, Pakistan, Meesha Iqbal, Zafar Fatmi, Kausar S. Khan, Asaad Ahmed Nafees

Community Health Sciences

Background: Child labourers are exposed to an insecure environment and higher risk of violence. Violence among child labourers is an under-studied phenomenon which requires contextual assessment.
Aims: We applied Bronfenbrenner's ecological model (micro-, exo- and macro-system) to understand the interplay of individual, community, societal and policy context fuelling violence.
Methods: Focus group discussions and family ethnographies of child-labourers working in common occupational sectors of suburban areas of Sindh were carried out to gain in-depth understanding of their immediate environment and abuse (micro-system). Frequency of emotional, physical and sexual violence (5-14 years; n = 634) was also determined. Indepth interviews with …

Intimate Partner Violence Against Women: A Comprehensive Depiction Of Pakistani Literature, Tazeen Saeed Ali, Rozina Karmaliani, Rida Farhan, Syeda Hussain, Fatima Jawad

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Background: Intimate partner violence against women is a significant problem in Pakistan associated with an alarming set of mental health issues.
Aims: To identify the prevalence of intimate partner violence in Pakistan and the causes, health effects and coping strategies used by women.
Methods: A comprehensive search based on the identified keywords was conducted using Google Scholar and PubMed. Relevant literature was also searched and included. Abstracts were then shortlisted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines, and 25 studies were selected. Quantitative studies on intimate partner violence were included in the review. The review comprises …

Intimate Partner Violence Against Women In Pakistan: A Review Of Qualitative Research, Tazeen S. Ali, Rida Farhan, Michelle Ayub

Community Health Sciences

Objective: To consolidate research data and provide an insight into areas that need further research regarding intimate partner violence.
Methods: The review targeted qualitative research-based studies done in the English language and conducted in Pakistan from 2008 to 2018 regarding intimate partner violence against women. A thorough search of Google Scholar and PubMed databases was done. Data from each selected article was extracted using a data-extraction template.
Results: Of the 2,479 results, 21(0.8%) articles were selected along with 4(0.16%) texts from grey literature. An in-depth analysis led to six broad categories: experiences/perspectives of married women facing intimate partner violence; perspectives …

Adolescent Food Insecurity In Rural Sindh, Pakistan: A Cross-Sectional Survey, Sana Sheikh, Romaina Iqbal, Rahat Qureshi, Iqbal Azam Syed, Rubina Barolia

Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology

Background: Food insecurity (FI) is alarmingly high in developing countries including Pakistan. A quarter of Pakistan's population consists of adolescents yet there is no information on their experience of FI. FI at adolescent age have long term effect on mental and physical health hence we aimed to determine the prevalence of food insecurity (FI) among adolescents and compare it with household FI, and assess social determinants of adolescent FI.
Methods: A cross-sectional survey on 799 households with unmarried adolescents was conducted from September 2015 to June 2016 in three union councils of Hyderabad, Pakistan. Unmarried 10-19 years old girls and …

Simulated Patient's Feedback To Improve Communication Skills Of Clerkship Students, Ayesha Aleem Qureshi, Tabassum Zehra

Department for Educational Development

Background: The changing trends of the society and revisions to medical education have changed the way medical students are trained to adroitly care for patients hence, patient centered care has become need of today's society and communication skills are imperative in developing patient physician relationship. Increasingly, simulations are being used to aid medical students to incorporate theoretical knowledge into practice. There are innumerable studies regarding communication skills in terms of reliability, validity and feasibility but no such study has been documented using simulated patient's feedback in improving communication skills in Pakistan. The aim of this study is to explore whether …

Binge-Watching Behaviours: The Impact On Medical Students In Pakistan, Zouina Sarfraz, Muzna Sarfraz, Azza Sarfraz

Department of Paediatrics and Child Health

No abstract provided.

Political Determinants Of Health: Lessons For Pakistan, Rashid Jooma, Guido Sabatinelli

Section of Neurosurgery

There is much concern about the capacity of the health system of Pakistan to meet its goals and obligations. Historically, the political thrust has been absent from the health policy formulation and this is reflected in the low and stagnant public allocations to health. Successive political leaderships have averred from considering healthcare is a common good rather than a market commodity and health has not been recognized as a constitutional right. Over 120 of world's nation states have accepted health as a constitutional right but the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan does not mandate health or education as a fundamental right …

An Overview Of The Predictors Of Depression Among Adult Pakistani Women, Aysha Zahidie, Tanzil Jamali

Community Health Sciences

Diseases of women that are due to their gender specific roles and responsibilities result from cultural and social factors prevalent in the environs. World Health Organization has put special emphasis on research need regarding gender related factors for diseases disproportionately affecting women in developing countries. The objective of this write up was to determine the prevalence of depression and the associated risk factors among adult women in Pakistan. PubMed was searched using key words depression, risk factors, women and Pakistan. Out of 20 initially retrieved articles, 12 were directly related to depression and its risk factors among Pakistani women within …

Gender Roles And Their Influence On Life Prospects For Women In Urban Karachi, Pakistan: A Qualitative Study, Tazeen S. Ali, Gunilla Krantz, Raisa Gul, Nargis Asad, Eva Johansson, Ingrid Mogren

School of Nursing & Midwifery

BACKGROUND: Pakistan is a patriarchal society where men are the primary authority figures and women are subordinate. This has serious implications on women's and men's life prospects.
OBJECTIVE: The aim was to explore current gender roles in urban Pakistan, how these are reproduced and maintained and influence men's and women's life circumstances.
DESIGN: Five focus group discussions were conducted, including 28 women representing employed, unemployed, educated and uneducated women from different socio-economic strata. Manifest and latent content analyses were applied.
FINDINGS: TWO MAJOR THEMES EMERGED DURING ANALYSIS: 'Reiteration of gender roles' and 'Agents of change'. The first theme included perceptions …

Depression And Its Associated Risk Factors In Medical And Surgical Post Graduate Trainees At A Teaching Hospital: A Cross Sectional Survey From A Developing Country, Aisha Yousuf, Sidra Ishaque, Waris Qidwai

Department of Family Medicine

Objectives: To determine the frequency of depression among post graduate medical trainees in a teaching hospital of Pakistan and to explore the associated factors contributing to depression in them. Methods: It's a cross-sectional study at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi. It was done in June 2008 till August 2008. Zung Self-Rating Depression Scale was administered among 172 post graduate trainees. Self administered questionnaires were used to assess the associated demographic and work related risk factors. Adjusted odds ratios (OR) were calculated by logistic regression. Results: The survey response rate was 172(82.69%). Depression in the overall sample was 103(59.88%), of …

Application Of Geographical Information System (Gis) For Mapping Road Traffic Injuries Using Existing Source Of Data In Karachi, Pakistan--A Pilot Study, Junsid Razzak, Uzma R. Khan, Sabeena Jalal

Department of Emergency Medicine

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility of using Geographical Information System for mapping of road traffic injuries with an existing data source in a developing country.

METHODS: The study was a retrospectives case series of road traffic injury cases registered with the medico-legal office located in the three major trauma centers in Karachi for the period of January 1, 2004 till December 31st, 2004. Spatial data analysis was performed using ARCVIEW 3.1.

RESULTS: Out of 3650 of all road traffic injury, only 3% had locations detailed and accurate enough allowing mapping on a GIS map in the first attempt. Even after …

Intimate Partner Violence In Urban Pakistan: Prevalence, Frequency, And Risk Factors, Tazeen S. Ali, Nargis Asad, Ingrid Mogren, Gunilla Krantz

School of Nursing & Midwifery

Background: Intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important public health issue with severe adverse consequences. Population-based data on IPV from Muslim societies are scarce, and Pakistan is no exception. This study was conducted among women residing in urban Karachi, to estimate the prevalence and frequency of different forms of IPV and their associations with sociodemographic factors.
Methods: This cross-sectional community-based study was conducted using a structured questionnaire developed by the World Health Organisation for research on violence. Community midwives conducted face-to-face interviews with 759 married women aged 25-60 years.
Results: Self-reported past-year and lifetime prevalence of physical violence was 56.3 …