Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Experiences Of Indigenous Women With Maternal Nutrition In Climate Change (Cold Weather) In Rural Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: Implications For Maternal-Infant Health, Ihsan Ullah

Theses & Dissertations

Background: Pakistan is one of the countries that is most susceptible to the effects of climate change. The country’s Northern regions have experienced several extreme cold weather events, including floods, heavy snowfall, and heavy rains, in recent years, significantly impacting maternal and infant health. Indigenous child-bearing age women in the northern rural areas are the most vulnerable populations experiencing food insecurity, disruptive food systems, increasing food prices, and disrupting food production due to climate change exacerbation.
Aim of the study: The study aimed to explore the experiences of indigenous women with maternal nutrition in harsh winter caused by climate change …

Perceptions Of Mental Health Among Pakistani Women With Micro-Finance Loans: An Interpretive Descriptive Study, Farhana Irfan Madhani, Catherine Tompkins, Susan Jack, Carolyn Byrne

The Qualitative Report

Mental health has gained significant recognition and importance as a crucial aspect of overall well-being. An individual's mental health is influenced by the intersection of individual, social, cultural, and systematic sources of stress and resilience. It is important to include subjective conceptualizations of mental health and well-being to develop culturally sensitive approaches to mental health promotion. This qualitative study aimed to understand how urban-dwelling women living in Pakistan who are micro-finance loan recipients conceptualize the meaning of mental health. Using interpretive description methodology, data were collected and analyzed through in-depth, semi-structured interviews conducted in Urdu with a purposeful sample of …

"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 …

Perceived Benefits Matter The Most In Covid-19 Preventive Behaviors: Empirical Evidence From Okara District, Pakistan, Gulzar H. Shah, Ansar Ali Faraz, Hina Khan, Kristie Cason Waterfield

Department of Health Policy and Community Health Faculty Publications

The 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has affected the social determinants of health, worsening health inequities and deteriorating healthcare capacities around the globe. The objective of this study is to investigate the COVID-19 prevention behaviors within the framework of the Health Belief Model in the city of Depalpur in the Okara District of Pakistan in May 2020. Using an observational, cross-sectional, and quantitative study design, a faceto- face field survey was conducted during the epidemic of COVID-19 in district Okara, Pakistan. A sample of 500 adults was selected from the city of Depalpur the in Okara …

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.

Situation Analysis Of Reproductive Health Of Adolescents And Youth In Pakistan, Iram Kamran, Rehan M. Niazi, Kiren Khan, Faisal Abbas

Reproductive Health

This report presents a situation analysis of the reproductive health of adolescents and youth in Pakistan. It is intended to contribute to evidence-based policies and programs for realizing reproductive rights and choices for young people through health information and services, education programs, and strategic partnerships. The study included a literature review, secondary analysis of data from the Pakistan Demographic Health Surveys and Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, and a qualitative study of perspectives of unmarried adolescent boys and girls (aged 15–19), including both school-going and out-of-school individuals, as well as boys and girls with disabilities, in peri-urban areas of Islamabad, Lahore, …

More Than Brides Alliance: Midline Evaluation Report, Andrea J. Melnikas, Grace Saul, Santosh Kumar Singh, James Mkandawire, Mouhamadou Gueye, Aissa Diarra, Sajeda Amin

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The More than Brides Alliance (MTBA) was formed to bringing together the strengths of a diverse team skilled in adolescent program implementation and research. The goal of the research presented in this report is to promote an evidence-based programmatic approach to delaying marriage in India, Malawi, Mali, Niger, and Pakistan by gathering detailed quantitative and qualitative information from the program areas over time to examine the impact of the present intervention and inform future strategies. This report highlights data from the midline survey on a set of outcomes approximately midway through the MTBA intervention and compares them with the same …

Climate, Population, And Vulnerability In Pakistan: Exploring Evidence Of Linkages For Adaptation, G.M. Arif, Muhammad Riaz, Nadeem Faisal, Mohammad Jamal Khan Khattak, Zeba Sathar, Muhammad Khalil, Maqsood Sadiq, Sabahat Hussain, Kiren Khan

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

The global discussion of climate change and its impacts and causes has changed completely in the past quarter century. Scientific opinion now accepts that rapid warming is occurring and that greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted as a result of human activities are largely to blame. The consequences of taking no action will be catastrophic. Unfortunately, the burden of impact will fall disproportionately on the poor and most vulnerable people who rely heavily on agriculture in countries where average temperatures are already high. Climate change is particularly harmful because it increasingly threatens food security in these countries. Pakistan is one of the …

Expanding Services To Detect, Manage, And Prevent Pre-Eclampsia And Eclampsia In Tando Allahyar District Of Sindh Province, Pakistan, Ali M. Mir, Irfan Masood, Mumraiz Khan, Sharif M.I. Hossain, Tracy Mcclair, Pooja Sripad, Charlotte E. Warren

Reproductive Health

This endline report documents a USAID-supported implementation research project carried out by the Population Council in one district in Sindh province, as part of the global—Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan—Ending Eclampsia initiative. This project assessed community midwives’ (CMWs) abilities to screen and detect pre-eclampsia/severe pre-eclampsia/eclampsia (PE/SPE/E) in pregnant and postnatal women and provide a loading dose of magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) to clients suffering from SPE/E and referrals to facilities for further management. This study also explored opportunities to enhance collaboration between CMWs and lady health workers (LHWs), encouraging LHWs to refer pregnant women for group antenatal care (ANC) and postnatal …

Implementing Components Of The Phc For Pe/E Model In Pakistan: A Cost Analysis, Ali M. Mir, Mumraiz Khan, Pooja Sripad, Sara Chace Dwyer

Reproductive Health

Pre-eclampsia/Eclampsia (PE/E) is the third leading cause of maternal mortality in Pakistan. Women with PE are at increased risk for organ damage or failure, pre-term birth, loss of pregnancy, and stroke. PE can progress to eclampsia, which is characterized by seizures, and may be associated with kidney and liver damage, as well as maternal death. The risks of PE/E can be mitigated with regular screening during antenatal care and the postnatal period. Regular monitoring of PE can lessen progression to severe PE/E, and severe PE/E can be managed through administration of magnesium sulfate and antihypertensive drugs. Between 2016 and 2018, …

Climate Change, Resilience, And Population Dynamics In Pakistan: A Case Study Of The 2010 Floods In Mianwali District, Zeba Sathar, Muhammad Khalil, Sabahat Hussain, Maqsood Sadiq, Kiren Khan

Poverty, Gender, and Youth

In 2010, Pakistan experienced massive flooding that went on uninterrupted for more than eight weeks, and seriously affected more than 20 million people. This study explores the effects of the floods on one of the most adversely affected districts, Mianwali, in Punjab province. The study focuses on four areas pertaining to resilience: movements and migration processes; shifts in poverty levels and living conditions; changes in livelihood activities; and health-seeking behavior, particularly fertility-related processes. This study highlights the need to include demographic and health information in the analysis of natural disasters. The report marks the beginning of a research agenda that …

A 10-Year Bibliometric Study Of Pakistan Journal Of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ishtiaq Ahmed, Midrar Ullah

Library Philosophy and Practice (e-journal)

Purpose

This study aims to carry out a bibliometric evaluation of articles published in Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences (PJPS) from 2006 to 2015. Bibliometric study determines publication pattern and identifies research trends in a field.

Design/Methodology/Approach

All articles published in PJPS during ten years were analysed using MS Excel.

Results

A total of 951 authors contributed 1172 articles to PJPS from 2006 to 2015. Eighty-six percent authors contributed only one article each. M. Saeed Arayne and Najma Sultana were the leading principal authors with 18 and 10 articles respectively. Ninety-seven percent articles were written by more than one author. …

Landscape Analysis: Preventing And Managing Pre-Eclampsia And Eclampsia In Pakistan, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Ending Eclampsia project conducted a landscape analysis to identify policy and program activities, as well as gaps and challenges around the prevention and treatment of PE/E and use of magnesium sulphate at the provincial and district levels in Pakistan. The analysis assessed the practices for PE/E prevention and treatment, prevalence of PE/E, associated complications, and contribution to maternal mortality and morbidity. This landscape analysis was a major study and one of the first of its kind in the country, blending multiple perspectives on provision of care through the public health system for pregnant women facing, or at risk of, …

Increasing Access To Reproductive Health Care Through Improved Service Delivery, Gul Rashida, Iram Kamran, Muhammad Khalil, Zeba Tasneem, Rehan M. Niazi, Mumraiz Khan, Tahira Parveen

Reproductive Health

The study documented in this report examines the provision and utilization of public and private sector maternal and child health services in Punjab, Pakistan with a focus on family planning (FP) services. It is aimed at enabling a better understanding of the specific demand and supply dynamics leading to low contraceptive prevalence despite unmet need, and the opportunities that must be seized to enhance access to quality family planning services. The report is part of a larger project being implemented by the Population Council with the assistance of the Department for International Development, UK entitled “Sustaining Focus on Provincial Governments …

Assessing Community Midwives' Knowledge Of Pe/E Management In Sindh, Pakistan, Population Council

Reproductive Health

The Population Council conducted a landscape analysis in Pakistan to assess the knowledge and practices of trained community midwives in Tando Allahyar, a rural district of Sindh, India on the prevention, detection, and management of pre-eclampsia, severe pre-eclampsia, and eclampsia, as well as gaps and challenges around the prevention and treatment at the provincial and district levels. This brief shares the findings of that assessment, and provides recommendations that would minimize the gaps in maternal health services. In order to implement the key recommendations, the Ending Eclampsia project suggests the establishment of a task force comprised of members of professional …

Walid & Rahima, Walid, Rahima, Tsos

TSOS Interview Gallery

Walid worked as a police officer inBaghlan County,Afghanistan, where hedid many operations with NATO and US forces. Walid was responsible for recordingoperations and distributing copies to the media. Being part of the operations was dangerous, and Walid lost many of his friendsto the Taliban.Theyevenskinned afriend for cooperating with the government. The violenceled him to say, “The terrorists have no religion.” The Taliban began entering homes and killing government officials,and paid assassinations happened in public. Walidknew he was in danger.After losing a dear friend, Walid knew then that he had lost all he was willing to lose.He fled to Pakistan where …

Bahram & Camila, Bahram, Camila, Tsos

TSOS Interview Gallery

Bahram tells the story of the Afghanistan's 1992 government collapse and subsequent civil wars that destroyed the city of Kabul. "There was war in every alley, every house, every area and every village. 60,000 people were killed." Their family emigrated to Pakistan and after living there for some time, some relatives of a friend from their village travelled to Pakistan and required lodging so they stayed with Bahram's family. In some developing and under-developed countries, the custom of arranged marriage to child and infant daughters is practiced. These house guests demanded their one-year-old daughter be given in marriage to a …

Investigating Pakistan’S Contraception Rate Plateau: A Multilevel Analysis To Understand The Association Between Community Contextual Factors And Modern Contraception Use, Mahmooda Khaliq Pasha

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

South Asia has the highest absolute number of women with an unmet need for contraception in the world. The total number of women with unmet need is 142 million. Of this, Asia accounts for 84 million followed by Sub-Saharan Africa at 32 million. Within South Asia, some countries have seen unmet need decrease and the contraception rate increase; however, Pakistan remains the exception to the rule. Pakistan has a low rate of contraception use, high rate of contraception discontinuation, high unmet need and high rate of unwanted fertility.

A number of theories have hypothesized that community-level factors influence a couple’s …

Landscape Analysis Of The Family Planning Situation In Pakistan—District Profile: Faisalabad, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This district profile of Faisalabad is part of the Landscape Analysis of the Family Planning Situation in Pakistan. The factsheet provides a detailed picture of the use of antenatal and delivery care services; use of family planning; other socioeconomic indicators; availability of health facilities, pharmacies, and lady health workers; distribution of public static and private facilities by cadre;, provision of specific family planning methods by sector; and presence and provision of family planning services/products. The factsheet concludes with a review of consumers’ perspectives on barriers to use of family planning. The analysis, conducted by the Population Council, was supported by …

Landscape Analysis Of The Family Planning Situation In Pakistan—District Profile: Rawalpindi, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This district profile of Rawalpindi is part of the Landscape Analysis of the Family Planning Situation in Pakistan. The factsheet provides a detailed picture of use of family planning and other socioeconomic indicators. It covers consumers’ perspectives on barriers to use of family planning noting the lack of information among men and women, especially migrants; problems of access among poor rural women; and difficulty in affording services, among poor couples. The factsheet concludes with a chart listing district-specific donors, projects, and implementing partners. The analysis, conducted by the Population Council, was supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Landscape Analysis Of The Family Planning Situation In Pakistan—District Profile: Lahore, Population Council

Reproductive Health

This district profile of Lahore is part of the Landscape Analysis of the Family Planning Situation in Pakistan. The factsheet provides a detailed picture of contraceptive use and unmet need; use of antenatal and delivery care services; other socioeconomic indicators; availability of health facilities, pharmacies, and lady health workers; distribution of public static and private facilities by cadre; provision of specific family planning methods by sector; and presence and provision of family planning services/products. The factsheet concludes with a review of consumers’ perspectives on barriers to use of family planning and a chart listing district-specific donors, projects, and implementing partners. …