WHO report highlights Africa's health challenges.
TL;DR: The World Health Organization's first African regional health report gives an insight into why Africa has such a heavy burden of disease and premature death and suggests interventions that are known to work within the regional context.
Abstract: Africa will never climb out of poverty unless its devastating health challenges are tackled, says the World Health Organization's first African regional health report. It gives an insight into why Africa has such a heavy burden of disease and premature death and suggests interventions that are known to work within the regional context.
The continent faces a “silent epidemic” of maternal and child mortality, it says. Of the 20 countries with the highest maternal mortality ratios in the world 19 are in Africa. Africa also has the highest neonatal death rate in the world.
AIDS continues to decimate the population of Africa, which has …
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Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences1, University of Mazandaran2, University of Technology, Sydney3, Moscow State University4, Golestan University5, Iran University of Medical Sciences6, Kashan University of Medical Sciences7, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences8, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services9, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences10
TL;DR: In this paper, a systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out to maximize the use of everything that exists about the role of vitamin D in the COVID-19 patients.
Abstract: Evidence recommends that vitamin D might be a crucial supportive agent for the immune system, mainly in cytokine response regulation against COVID-19. Hence, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis in order to maximize the use of everything that exists about the role of vitamin D in the COVID-19. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science up to December 18, 2020. Studies focused on the role of vitamin D in confirmed COVID-19 patients were entered into the systematic review. Twenty-three studies containing 11901participants entered into the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that 41% of COVID-19 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency (95% CI, 29%-55%), and in 42% of patients, levels of vitamin D were insufficient (95% CI, 24%-63%). The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was 20.3 ng/mL among all COVID-19 patients (95% CI, 12.1-19.8). The odds of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 is 3.3 times higher among individuals with vitamin D deficiency (95% CI, 2.5-4.3). The chance of developing severe COVID-19 is about five times higher in patients with vitamin D deficiency (OR: 5.1, 95% CI, 2.6-10.3). There is no significant association between vitamin D status and higher mortality rates (OR: 1.6, 95% CI, 0.5-4.4). This study found that most of the COVID-19 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency. Also, there is about three times higher chance of getting infected with SARS-CoV-2 among vitamin D deficient individuals and about 5 times higher probability of developing the severe disease in vitamin D deficient patients. Vitamin D deficiency showed no significant association with mortality rates in this population.
59 citations
Dissertation•
01 Jan 2008
TL;DR: Qualitative research as an anthropologist into the mental illness histories of five young Xhosa-speaking men who, within a year of their circumcision, suffered psychotic breakdowns is described.
Abstract: This interdisciplinary study, within the fields of anthropology and medicine, describes my qualitative research as an anthropologist into the mental illness histories of five young Xhosa-speaking men who, within a year of their circumcision, suffered psychotic breakdowns. The study took place in Valkenberg Hospital for the Mentally Unwell and the surrounding disadvantaged, largely Xhosa-speaking communities in Cape Town, South Africa. Numerous admissions were screened over a two-year period, but only these five men met the study criteria. Their case studies describe how they perceived their circumcision and the stresses that may have contributed to the onset of their psychotic illness. Qualitative depth and ethnographic detail about practices was derived through interviews and fieldwork with family members, their social networks, and Xhosa-speaking people both in Cape Town and in the Eastern Cape. In addition, healthcare professionals were interviewed to provide insight into the case studies and health system practices. A thematic analysis was used to interpret the data whose strength lies in its anthropological description. The thesis describes the nature of stress that may have precipitated the onset of psychotic illness in these vulnerable men, following circumcision. In respect of precipitating stressors, circumcision had relevance because it was a culturally pre-scribed, significant, life stage event around which distinctive psychosocial and environmental precipitating stressors clustered. Men were placed at risk for mental illness, when the intimacy and social circumstances surrounding the circumcision as a patrilineal cultural practice, were jeopardised. When this happened, especially if the youth’s father did not fulfil his traditional role or because of cultural dissonance, the stressors inherent within Un ive rsi ty of Ca pe To wn
18 citations
Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences1, University of Mazandaran2, Golestan University3, Iran University of Medical Sciences4, Kashan University of Medical Sciences5, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences6, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services7, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences8
TL;DR: In this systematic review and meta-analysis with an ecological approach, a high percentage of COVID-19 patients who suffer from vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency are found, and it seems that populations with lower levels of vitamin D might be more susceptible to the novel coronavirus infection.
Abstract: Background Evidence recommends that vitamin D might be a crucial supportive agent for the immune system, mainly in cytokine response regulation against COVID-19. Hence, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis in order to maximize the use of everything that exists about the role of vitamin D in the COVID-19. Methods A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar (intitle) as well as preprint database of medRxiv, bioRxiv, Research Square, preprints.org, and search engine of ScienceDirect up to October 10, 2020. Studies focused on the role of vitamin D in confirmed COVID-19 patients were entered into the systematic review. Results Sixteen studies containing 4922 participants entered into the meta-analysis. The meta-analysis indicated that 48% of COVID-19 patients were suffering from vitamin D deficiency (95% CI, 29%-67%), and in 41% of patients, levels of vitamin D were insufficient (95% CI, 10%-82%). The serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was 18 ng/mL among all COVID-19 patients (95% CI, 13-24). Co-morbidities frequency in COVID-19 patients were as follows: 7.4% cancer, 27.1% chronic kidney disease, 30.4% cardiovascular diseases, 5.1% dementia, 14.5% depression/anxiety, 32.1% diabetes, 47.4% hypertension, 22.0% obesity and 17.5% respiratory diseases. Reported ethnic groups in studies were 1.0% Afro-Caribbean, 10.3% Asian, and 92.1% Caucasian. Conclusion This study found that the mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D level was low in all COVID-19 patients, and most of them were suffering from vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency. The Caucasian was the dominant ethnic group, and the most frequent co-morbidities in COVID-19 patients were hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, chronic kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, and respiratory diseases, which might be affected by vitamin D deficiency directly or indirectly.
16 citations
TL;DR: The implemented ‘Dr. Flynxz – A First Aid Mamdani-Sugeno-type Fuzzy Expert System for Differential Symptoms-Based Diagnosis and Allergy Management’ can be useful in the area of medical diagnosis and allergy management while the proposed algorithms will be Useful in the development of MamdANI-SUGeno- type fuzzy inference systems.
10 citations
TL;DR: This work aims to assess the maternal health in terms of maternal mortality ratios and lifetime risk of maternal death in of women in the Arab World.
Abstract: AIM In this work, we aim to assess the maternal health in terms of maternal mortality ratios and lifetime risk of maternal death in of women in the Arab World. METHODS Data on maternal mortality rates (MMR) and lifetime risk of maternal death (LTR) were extracted from the official databases of the United Nations Children's Fund. Annual Percentage Change was calculated using Joinpoint regression model. Statistical significance among countries was determined using one-way analysis of variance (anova) on spss version 25.0 (IBM SPSS, 2017). RESULTS The MMR and LTR significantly decreased in almost all Arab countries. Somalia was found to be the country with the highest burden of MMR, while Gulf countries had the lowest burden. CONCLUSION Our study shows a decrease in the MMR and LTR of maternal death in the Arab world. Although there is a decrease in these rates, but continuous research and efforts must be undergone to better develop the health care system in a great number of Arab countries to decrease the burden of maternal deaths.
10 citations