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Moustafa SA, Deif R, Gaballah N, Salama M. Cognitive Impairment and Non-Communicable Diseases in Egypt's Aging Population: Insights and Implications from the 2021-2022 Pilot of "A Longitudinal Study of Egyptian Healthy Aging" "AL-SEHA". INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2024; 21:151. [PMID: 38397642 PMCID: PMC10888087 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph21020151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
As the global population ages, the prevalence of cognitive impairment among older individuals has been steadily rising. Like many countries, Egypt is grappling with the challenges an aging demographic poses. The global network of longitudinal aging studies, modeled after the US Health and Retirement Study (HRS), includes over 40 countries but lacks representation from the Arab/North African region. The proposed 'A Longitudinal Study of Egyptian Healthy Aging' (AL-SEHA) will address this gap by providing data on aging in Egypt, the largest Arab/North African country, shedding light on the intricate relationship between cognitive impairment and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Egypt's aging population between 2021 and 2022. This study took place in five governments in Egypt and recruited 299 participants from a population of 50+. The results of the study are from the pilot stage of the original longitudinal study (AL-SEHA).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara A. Moustafa
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, The American University, New Cairo 11835, Egypt; (R.D.); (M.S.)
| | - Reem Deif
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, The American University, New Cairo 11835, Egypt; (R.D.); (M.S.)
| | - Nada Gaballah
- Computer Science and Engineering Department, The American University, New Cairo 11835, Egypt;
| | - Mohamed Salama
- Institute of Global Health and Human Ecology, The American University, New Cairo 11835, Egypt; (R.D.); (M.S.)
- Toxicology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Dakahlia 35516, Egypt
- Atlantic Senior Fellow of Equity in Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), Trinity College Dublin, D02 PN40 Dublin, Ireland
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Alexopoulos P, Novotni A, Novotni G, Vorvolakos T, Vratsista A, Konsta A, Kaprinis S, Konstantinou A, Bonotis K, Katirtzoglou E, Siarkos K, Bekri ES, Kokkoris I, Como A, Gournellis R, Stoyanov DS, Politis A. Old age mental health services in Southern Balkans: Features, geospatial distribution, current needs, and future perspectives. Eur Psychiatry 2020; 63:e88. [PMID: 32921324 PMCID: PMC7576530 DOI: 10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.85] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Revised: 09/06/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Healthcare services are increasingly confronted with challenges related to old age mental disorders. The survey aimed to provide an overview of existing psychogeriatric services in Albania, Bulgaria, Greece, and North Macedonia. METHODS After identification of psychogeriatric units across the four countries, their head physicians were asked to provide data on their clinical, teaching, and research activity, as well as staff composition. Moreover, the attitudes of head physicians to current needs and future service development were explored. RESULTS A total of 15 psychogeriatric units were identified (3 in Bulgaria, 8 in Greece, and 4 in North Macedonia). Results show wide variation regarding the location, team size and composition, service availability, numbers of patients attending, and inpatient treatment length. Most head physicians underscored the urgent need for breakthroughs in the graduate and postgraduate education in psychogeriatrics of medical and nonmedical professionals, as well as in the interconnection of their units with community primary healthcare services and long-term care facilities for seniors via telemedicine. They would welcome the development of national standards for psychogeriatric units, potentially embodying clear pointers for action. A number of head physicians advocated the development of nationwide old age mental health registries. CONCLUSIONS Regional disparities in resources and services for seniors' mental health services were unveiled. These data may enrich the dialogue on optimizing psychogeriatric services through planning future cross-border collaborations mainly based on telemedicine services, especially in the era of the novel coronavirus pandemic, and training/education in psychogeriatrics of mental health professionals.
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Affiliation(s)
- P. Alexopoulos
- Department of Psychiatry, Patras University General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Faculty of Medicine, Technische. Technische Universität München, Munich, Germany
| | - A. Novotni
- University Clinic of Psychiatry, Medical Faculty, University “Ss Cyril and Methodius”, Skopje, North Macedonia
| | - G. Novotni
- University Clinic of Neurology, Medical Faculty, University “Ss Cyril and Methodius”, Skopje, North Macedonia
| | - T. Vorvolakos
- Department of Psychiatry, Alexandroupolis University General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, School of Health Sciences, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | - A. Vratsista
- Department of Psychiatry, Arta General Hospital, Arta, Greece
| | - A. Konsta
- 1 Department of Psychiatry, “Papageorgiou” General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - S. Kaprinis
- 3 Department of Psychiatry. Psychiatric Hospital of Thessaloniki, Faculty of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - A. Konstantinou
- Department of Psychiatry, Larissa University General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larisa, Greece
| | - K. Bonotis
- Department of Psychiatry, Larissa University General Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larisa, Greece
| | - E. Katirtzoglou
- 1st Department of Psychiatry, “Eginition” University Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - K. Siarkos
- 1st Department of Psychiatry, “Eginition” University Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - E. S. Bekri
- Environmental Engineering Laboratory, Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - I. Kokkoris
- Division of Plant Biology, Department of Biology, School of Basic Sciences, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
| | - A. Como
- Psychiatry Division, Department of Neuroscience, Tirana University Hospital Center “Mother Teresa”, Tirana Medical University, Tirana, Albania
| | - R. Gournellis
- 2nd Department of Psychiatry, “Attikon” University General Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - D. S. Stoyanov
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - A. Politis
- 1st Department of Psychiatry, “Eginition” University Hospital, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Department of Psychiatry, Division of Geriatric Psychiatry and Neuropsychiatry, Johns Hopkins Medical School, Baltimore, USA
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