Diabetes mellitus is the fastest growing global health emergency of the 21st century. The Middle East and North Africa region have the highest prevalence of diabetes in the world. Since medical students are the pillars of future healthcare systems, their knowledge of the disease must be evaluated, updated, and enhanced appropriately. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Syrian Private University (SPU) in November 2019 on World Diabetes Day in Damascus, during the Syrian war crisis. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25.0 (SPSS Inc., United States). Of the 275 students, 74 (26.9%) were preclinical students and 201 (73%) were clinical students with a mean age of 21.9 (±3.70) years. 67 (25.0%) are overweight, and 26 (9.7%) are obese. Students revealed a good level of knowledge regarding clinical features, risk factors, and complications; however, a lack of knowledge was noticed in the general information and the diagnostic criteria section. Clinical year students (4th, 5th, 6th) demonstrated higher levels of awareness compared to students in pre-clinical years (1st, 2nd, 3rd). Knowledge and awareness of medical students about diabetes mellitus were found to have some gaps. Health education efforts are required to reinforce its identification and management at all levels, while also encouraging lifestyle modifications among our students.

COVID-19 ignited a global pandemic that, in Syria, further strained a nation and its healthcare system already ravaged by years of war and sanctions. The first case in Syria was reported on March 22, 2020, and this is the first study that aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, comorbidities, and prognosis of COVID-19 patients in Syria. Demographic and clinical data for this cross-sectional prospective study were collected on COVID-19 patients with positive polymerase chain reaction tests who were admitted to Al Assad and Al Mouwasat university hospitals between April 1 and January 31 of 2021. This study included 701 patients. The majority were over age 60 (59%) and male (67.9%). The commonest symptoms were fever (86.6%) and shortness of breath (75.6%). The commonest comorbidities were hypertension (53.9%) and diabetes mellitus (41.5%). On multivariable analysis, risk factors found to be significantly associated with poor outcomes were advanced age (≥60 years); male gender; high respiratory rate (>35); respiratory failure (PaO₂/FiO₂ ratio<100); heart failure; chronic lung disease; elevated white blood cell counts, lactate dehydrogenase, c-reactive protein; prolonged international normalized ratio; and low lymphocyte counts. The clinical outcomes of our patients were as follows: 59.2% improved and were discharged from the hospital, 3.5% were discharged with persistent symptoms and 37.2% died. Several biomarkers can serve as early warning and prognostic indicators of severe illness and mortality from COVID-19 in the highest risk patients, especially males with multiple comorbidities over 60 years of age. In the context of a national healthcare system stretched thin by years of civil war and sanctions, and high COVID-19 mortality rates as a consequence, extra care should be taken to use the predictive power of these biomarkers to stratify high-risk patients in the earliest possible stages of the disease to minimize severe illness and reduce fatalities.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 continues to impose itself on all populations of the world. Given the slow pace of vaccination in the developing world and the absence of effective treatments, adherence to precautionary infection control measures remains the best way to prevent the COVID-19 pandemic from spiraling out of control. In this study, we aim to evaluate the extent to which the Syrian population adheres to these measures and analyze the relationship between demographic variables and adherence. This cross-sectional study took place in Syria between January 17 and March 17, 2021. A structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. The questionnaire was distributed in both electronic and printed versions. Our sample consisted of 7531 individuals. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS v.25. The chi-square test was used to address the correlation between adherence and demographic variables. Of the 10083 reached out, only 8083 responded, and 7531 included in the final analysis with an effective response rate of 74.7%. Of them, 4026 (53.5%) were women, 3984 (52.9%) were single, and 1908 (25.3%) had earned university degrees. 5286 (70.25) were in the high level of adherence category to protective measures. Statistically significant differences were documented when investigating the correlation between commitment to preventive measures and age, sex, marital status, financial status, employment, and educational attainment. Furthermore, those who believed that COVID-19 poses a major risk to them, or society were more committed to preventive measures than those who did not. The participants in this study generally showed a high level of adherence to the preventive measures compared to participants in other studies from around the world, with some concerns regarding the sources of information they depend on. Nationwide awareness campaigns should be conducted and focus on maintaining, if not expanding, this level of commitment, which would mitigate the pandemic’s impact on Syrian society.

Coronavirus disease of 2019 has overwhelmed public health systems worldwide and forced governments to impose draconian lockdowns on entire populations. With no vaccine or treatment during the early days of the pandemic, it is of paramount importance to assess the public’s awareness about COVID-19 so that prevention-focused educational campaigns can be sufficiently deployed. This study aimed to gauge the Syrian public’s adherence to infection control measures by assessing attitudes and practices during the pandemic which ravaged an already war-torn Syria. The web-based cross-sectional study was conducted in March 2020, nearly 11 years into the Syrian crisis. The survey contained 3 sections: socio-demographic characteristics, attitudes, and practice. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with good practices and negative attitudes. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25.0. Of the 3586 participants, 68.2% were females, 50.8% were unemployed, and 79.2% were college-educated. Only 1402 (39.1%) participants wore face masks when leaving their homes. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that female, age, and residence were factors associated with good practices such as avoiding mass gatherings, wearing face masks, and maintaining a 1-meter interpersonal distance. However, age and occupation were factors associated with negative attitudes towards the closure of universities and schools, travel bans, and quarantines for travellers. This survey highlights the need to address specific populations using various measures; there should be a specialized method of prevention for each occupation, age group, and place of residence to contain further outbreaks of COVID-19. This can be achieved through targeted awareness campaigns.

Background: COVID-19 is an infectious respiratory disease that emerged from a wet market in Wuhan China and quickly exploded into a global pandemic. This coronavirus has overwhelmed public health systems worldwide, and forced governments to impose draconian lockdowns of entire populations. With no vaccine or treatment to date, it is of paramount importance to assess the public’s awareness about COVID-19 so that knowledge gaps among the population can be targeted with prevention-focused educational campaigns. The aim of this study is to examine the Syrian public’s awareness and knowledge regarding COVID-19. Methods: This web-based cross-sectional study was distributed randomly in March 2020, nearly 10 year into the Syrian war crisis. The survey consists of a series of questions about socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge of the causative agent, incubation period, treatment, transmission pathways, clinical features, and prevention methods. Data was analysed using the statistical Package for Social Sciences version 25.0.Results: Of the 3586 participants, 68.2% were females, 50.8% were unemployed, and 79.2% were at college-educated. The study revealed good awareness regarding COVID-19 (mean 75.6%, SD±9.4%). Multiple linear regression analysis correlated knowledge scores with gender, education level, occupation, economic status, and the number of household members.Conclusion: This study revealed some potentially troubling knowledge gaps which underscore the need for a vigorous public education campaign. This campaign must reinforce the public's awareness, knowledge, and vigilance towards precautionary measures against COVID-19 and, most importantly aid in controlling the worldwide spread of the disease.

Skin cancers of the face and neck are among of the most common and important cancers, accounting for one out of every three new recorded cases of skin cancer according to the World Health Organization (WHO), and posing unique therapeutic challenges because of their functional and aesthetic impacts on patients. Our study aims to collect and analyze data about cutaneous neoplasms of the face and neck and their relationships with lymphatic and distant metastases, and to provide recommendations for early detection and patient care in order to achieve the best possible treatment outcomes. Methods: In this retrospective study, data about patient characteristics and tumor type, location, histology, stage, and classification was recorded for patients diagnosed with malignant skin tumors from the archives of Al-Mouwasat University Hospital, and then analyzed. Results: Out of a total of 67 patients, 55.2% were female, 44.8% were male, and those over the age of 60 comprised largest age group at 46.3%. The majority of patients (48.5%) worked in professions with low occupational exposure to sunlight, compared to 42.4% with high occupational exposure to sunlight, and 9.1% with no occupational exposure to sunlight. Most patients (73.2%) were smokers, 22% consumed both tobacco smoke and alcohol, and 4.9% consumed alcohol only. The largest proportion of patients hailed from central and eastern Syria (26.9% and 22.4% respectively). The most common chief complaint was chronic skin ulcers (79.7%). The most common site of malignancy was the nasal dorsum, ala, and tip (41.8%). The most common type was squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (62.7%). The most common type of basal cell carcinoma (BCC) was the sclerotic type (87.5%). Conclusion: We found statistically significant relationships between the incidence of skin cancers and high exposure to sunlight, female gender, smoking, and age over 60 years. Chronic ulcers were the most common symptom, and the nasal dorsum, ala, and tip were the most commonly affected sites. The dominant histological pattern was SCC. Most patients (76.1%) had no metastases. Surgical treatment was the most common form of curative management (88.1%). The most important recommendation is to minimize sunlight exposure due to its significant association with facial skin cancer and subsequent metastases.