Sexually transmitted diseases knowledge assessment and associated factors among university students in the United Arab Emirates: a cross-sectional study

Background

Sexually transmitted diseases and infections (STDIs) remain a serious public health menace with over 350 million cases each year. Poor knowledge of STDIs has been identified as one of the bottlenecks in their control and prevention. Hence, assessment of knowledge, both general and domain-specific, is key to the prevention and control of these diseases. This study assessed the knowledge of STDIs and identified factors associated with STDI knowledge among university students in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Methods

This is a cross-sectional study among 778 UAE University students across all colleges. An online data collection tool was used to collect data regarding the participants' demographics and their level of knowledge of STDIs across different domains including general STDI pathogens knowledge (8 items), signs and symptoms (9 items), mode of transmission (5 items), and prevention (5 items). Knowledge was presented both as absolute and percentage scores. Differences in STDI knowledge were statistically assessed using Mann-Whitney U and Chi-squared tests. Logistic regression models were further used to identify factors associated with STDI knowledge.

Results

A total of 778 students participated in the study with a median age of 21 years (IQR = 19, 23). The overall median STDI knowledge score of the participants was 7 (out of 27), with some differences within STDI domains-signs & symptoms (1 out of 9), modes of transmission (2 out of 5), general STDI pathogens (2 out of 8), and prevention (1 out of 5). Higher STDI knowledge was significantly associated with being non-Emirati (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.24-2.75), being married (OR = 2.89, 95% CI = 1.50-5.56), residing in emirates other than Abu Dhabi (OR = 1.61, 95% CI = 1.16-2.25), and being a student of health sciences (OR = 4.45, 95% CI = 3.07-6.45).

Conclusion

In general, STDI knowledge was low among the students. Having good knowledge of STDIs is essential for their prevention and control. Therefore, there is a need for informed interventions to address the knowledge gap among students, youths, and the general population at large.

Provision of care for chronic kidney disease by non-nephrologists in a developing nation: a national survey

OBJECTIVES

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in developing countries has increased dramatically. This study aimed to explore the practice patterns of non-dialysis-dependent CKD care in an affluent developing country.

SETTINGS

Primary and specialised healthcare facilities of public and private sectors in the United Arab Emirates.

PARTICIPANTS

159 non-nephrologist physicians practising in the United Arab Emirates.

INTERVENTIONS

A 28-item online self-administered questionnaire based on CKD clinical practice guidelines.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES

The physicians' approach to identifying and managing patients with CKD.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 159 non-nephrologists, of whom 135 reported having treated patients with CKD. Almost all the respondents screen patients with hypertension and diabetes for CKD, but one-third of them do not screen patients with cardiovascular disease and elderly patients for CKD. The use of accurate CKD screening tests (estimated glomerular filtration rate and albumin/creatinine ratio) was suboptimal (77% and 59% of physicians used the procedures, respectively). One-third of the physicians do not offer treatment with inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system to patients with CKD, and only 66% offer antilipid treatment. In general, the primary healthcare physicians are more familiar than secondary healthcare physicians with the diagnosis and management of patients with CKD.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified substantial physician-declared deficiencies in the practice of identifying and managing early CKD. Integration of quality CKD care within the healthcare system is required to face the increasing burden of CKD in the United Arab Emirates and possibly in other developing nations.

The use of an interferon-gamma release assay to screen for pediatric latent tuberculosis infection in the eastern region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi

OBJECTIVES

Intense migration to the United Arab Emirates from tuberculosis (TB) high-endemic areas presents a particular risk to the population. Screening for latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) usually involves risk assessment, the tuberculin skin test (TST), and interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA). This study investigated the use of an IGRA to screen for LTBI and compared its performance with a risk assessment questionnaire.

METHODS

This prospective cross-sectional study was conducted at seven Ambulatory Healthcare Services facilities in Abu Dhabi. Participants (88% Emiratis) were pediatric patients presenting for routine care. The QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube test was performed and the parents completed a questionnaire assessing TB risk factors.

RESULTS

Six-hundred and ninety-nine subjects (median age 8.7 years, interquartile range 9.2 years) were enrolled; 669 (96%) agreed to testing. Four patients had a positive IGRA; one had previously been treated for TB, resulting in three patients with LTBI. The estimated LTBI prevalence was 0.45% (95% confidence interval 0.09-1.3). A household contact from a TB high-endemic area was reported in 44%, travel to a TB high-endemic area in 10%, and contact with someone with a chronic cough in 7%, a TB case in 3%, a TST-positive case in 2%, and an IGRA-positive case in 2%. Fifty percent of participants had at least one risk factor. The risk assessment did not predict a positive IGRA.

CONCLUSIONS

The questionnaire yielded a risk of TB exposure of 50%, however the LTBI prevalence, as defined by the IGRA, was low (0.45%).

Epidemiology of meningitis in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates, 2000–2005

OBJECTIVE

To describe the epidemiologic features of meningitis in Al-Ain Medical District, United Arab Emirates from January 2000 through June 2005.

METHODS

A retrospective review of clinical records and notification forms for cases of meningitis reported to the Department of Preventive Medicine, Al-Ain. Data collected and compiled included demographic features, causative microbiologic agents, and annual incidence rates of meningitis, by etiology.

RESULTS

Ninety-two cases of meningitis were reported during the study period; 53% were bacterial and 37% were viral in origin. Neisseria meningitidis was the leading bacterial pathogen (35%) followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae (16%). Ten percent of clinically diagnosed cases of meningitis had no causative microorganism recovered, and in 33% of patients with presumed pyogenic meningitis no specific bacterial pathogen could be identified. The peak occurrence of meningitis was in young children less than one year old. Most cases of meningococcal meningitis were seen among prison inmates and laborers, while viral meningitis occurred mainly in children and young adults attending school. The incidence rate of meningitis in Al-Ain ranged between 2.2/100,000 population in 2000 and 1/100,000 in 2005, with an overall downward trend by year. The incidence of Haemophilus influenzae type b decreased significantly after implementation of the national immunization program in 1999.

CONCLUSIONS

Improved methods of bacterial detection including isolate serotyping must be made available in order to further reduce mortality and morbidity from meningitis.

Use of existing data for public health planning: a study of the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and core antibody in Al Ain Medical District, United Arab Emirates

INTRODUCTION

Hepatitis B is of major public health importance. Accurate information on its occurrence, with particular reference to the prevalence of immunity and chronic infection (marked by the presence of hepatitis B core antibody and surface antigen, respectively, in serum), is essential for planning public health programmes for the control of the disease. The generation of marker prevalence data through serological surveys is costly and time-consuming. The present study in Al Ain Medical District, United Arab Emirates, investigated the possibility of obtaining sufficiently accurate marker prevalence estimates from existing data to plan public health programmes.

METHODS

Two antenatal screening databases, one student serological survey database, one immunization programme database and one pre-marriage screening database containing information on marker prevalence were identified. Epidemiological data were abstracted from these databases and analysed.

RESULTS

The data showed that the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and the prevalence of core antibody in young citizens in 1998 were approximately 2% and 14% respectively, that any immunization campaign aimed at citizens of the United Arab Emirates should target teenagers as they had the highest risk of acquiring the disease, and that pre-immunization screening of young adults would be wasteful. However, the data did not yield information on the prevalence of hepatitis B surface antigen and core antibody in other population subgroups of public health significance.

DISCUSSION

While data generated by the study are sufficient to support a hepatitis B immunization programme targeted at teenaged citizens, more accurate data, generated by a well-designed serological survey, would be essential for optimal public health planning.