Objectives: This study aimed to assess the sleep quality (habits and disorders) and the daytime sleepiness among medical students. Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted during September 2018, through November 2018 at the Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Egypt. The study recruited undergraduate Egyptian and Malaysian students and applied a modified form of two questionnaires, namely the Sleep Habits and Life Style and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS)”. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS. The results were expressed as frequency, percentage, and mean ± standard deviation (SD). Chi-square test was used to explore associations between categorical variables. An independent sample t-test was used to detect the mean differences between groups. Ordinal regression analyses were done on the ESS findings in relation to demographics and sleep habits. p-values<0.05 were accepted as statistically significant. Results: The study included 899 medical students. Most of the participants were Egyptians (67%), rural residents (57.4%), and in the preclinical stage (79.5%). Males represented 66.0% of the study participants and participants average age (SD) was 21.98 (1.13) years. The average durations (SD) of night sleep were 7.3 (1.6) hours in work days and 8.7 (2.1) hours during the weekends. Both were significantly longer among young (<21 years-old) and preclinical students (p<0.05). Students had on average (SD) 1.33 (0.29) hours duration of napping, but 60% of the participants never or rarely scheduled for napping. Larger proportion of male and Malaysian students sometimes scheduled for napping more significantly than their peers (p<0.05). Only 16.24% of students reported that the cause of daytime napping was no enough sleep at night. The students reported sleep disorders of insomnia in the form of waking up too early, trouble falling asleep, or waking up at night with failure to re-sleep (31, 30, and 26%, respectively). Snoring (22.2%) and restless legs (22.0%) were also reported by the students. High chances of dozing off was reported by 22.02% of the participants, of which 10% used sleeping pills, 41.4% suffered psychological affection, and 34.8% reported life pattern affection. We found an increased chance of daytime sleepiness among males (0.430 times) and Egyptian (2.018 times) students. There was a decreased chance of daytime sleepiness in students from rural areas and those below 21-years-old (0.262 and 0.343 times, respectively). Absence of chronic diseases suffering was significantly associated with 5.573 more chance of daytime sleepiness or dozing off. In addition, enough and average sleep at night significantly decreased the chance of daytime sleepiness by 6.292 and 6.578, respectively, whereas daytime consumption of caffeinated beverages significantly decreased the chance of daytime sleepiness by 0.341. Conclusion: There was unbalanced sleep duration in work days and weekends as well as lack of scheduling for napping among the students. Sleep disorders as insomnia, snoring, and restless legs were associated with excessive daytime sleepiness. Some students who suffered daytime sleepiness also underwent psychological and life pattern affection including taking sleeping pills. Enough and average sleep duration at night as well as daytime consumption of caffeinated beverages decreased the chance of daytime sleepiness.

This study aimed to assess perception of the problem of substance use among students of Kafr El-Sheikh University within a social context.This cross-sectional survey was conducted using a cluster s...

Background: Fever is one of the most common presenting complaint in pediatric age and is the cause of nearly 70% of all pediatric clinic visits. Fever isn’t a disease but a symptom of disease, so we need to do more to communicate the message to parents. Aim: To assess knowledge, attitude and practices of mothers towards fever and its management at home among under five children and to find-out some factors influencing maternal knowledge, attitude and practices. Subjects and Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out in Maternity and Child Health Care Center in Kom Hamada city, Behira Governorate. A sample of 384 mothers was included in the study. The study was done via a pre-designed questionnaire sheet filled through direct interview with target mothers to assess their knowledge, attitude and practice regarding fever management of their under five children. Results: Most of the studied mothers had good knowledge (62%) and positive attitude (59.9%). But (39.3% and 38.8%) of them had bad and fair practice respectively. Bad practice was common in the age group 25-30, those having three or four children, urban residence and with decreased family income. Conclusion: The results found that awareness was relatively good. The study highlights the numerous misconceptions regarding fever management. So health education of mothers is needed to improve mother’s practice.

Background: Adherence to preventive control measures is influenced by perception, attitudes, and practices toward the disease prevention. Aim: To assess the perceptions, attitude, and practices of university students in three health sector faculties (Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy) from six Egyptian universities towards COVID-19 pandemic prevention. Methods: An electronic online survey was distributed to students of 3 faculties (Medicine, Pharmacy, and Nursing) in six Egyptian universities from March to July 2021. The questionnaire consists of the following parts: socio-demographic data of participants, student perception and attitude towards the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences, as well as practices of preventive measures in the community. Results: The study included 1990 participants. Most respondents perceived the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic (88.2%). The rates of practicing precautionary measures were mostly high (approximately 90% or above). Significantly high attitude scores toward the pandemic were detected in people with quite-to-extremely concerned, very good/excellent status, aware of infection risk, willing to report positive cases and avoiding contact with them, and seeking medical advice regarding infection. The attitude to protective measures followed a similar pattern along with average health status, female students, and avoidance of contact when experiencing flu symptoms. Significantly higher practice scores were observed in those with bad health status, rural areas, perceiving the risk of infection, willing to report positive cases, and avoiding contact with positive cases. Conclusion: The effectiveness of precautionary measures should be stressed to promote positive student practices.

Background: Nutritional problems are of the most important risk factors of increasing mortality rates in chronic renal failure patients on hemodialysis and morbidity occurring from malnutrition significantly severely affects their quality of life. Aim: To assess the nutritional status of chronic renal failure patients on hemodialysis (HD) attending HD unit in Damanhur National Medical Institute. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the hemodialysis unit on 174 patients. Data collection was done via a specially designed questionnaire containing; socio-demographic and clinical data, anthropometric measurements, biochemical measurements, 24-hour recall list and questions for assessment of nutritional knowledge. Malnutrition inflammation score (MIS) was used for assessment of the nutritional status. Results: 65.5% of the patients were mildly malnourished, 24.7% were moderately malnourished and only 9.8% were normal and the level of malnutrition was significantly affected by duration of renal disease and hemodialysis duration. 44.3 % of patients had poor nutritional knowledge level, and only 4% had good nutritional knowledge and the nutritional knowledge level had a significant association with level of malnutrition. 96% did not attend any nutritional health education sessions, but they were willing to attend these sessions. Conclusions: Malnutrition was highly prevalent among the studied patients. There was a statistically significant relationship between levels of malnutrition (MN) and the level of nutritional knowledge of hemodialysis patients.