Oral health status and cardiovascular risk profile in Cameroonian military population

Background

Periodontal diseases (PD) seem to appear today as predictors of some cardiovascular diseases (CVD). There is a lack of data on the oral health among Cameroonian military population, and its relationship with CVD.

Purpose

Investigate on the link between oral health of Cameroonian military from the Ngaoundéré garrison and their cardiovascular risk profile.

Participants and methods

A cross-sectional study at the Fifth Military Sector Health Center in Ngaoundéré was conducted. General health parameters assessment was done according to the World Health Organization STEPS manual for surveillance of risk factors for non-communicable chronic diseases and the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. The periodontal status was assessed using Dutch Periodontal Screening Index.

Results

Two hundred and five participants who were officers and non-commissioned officers (aged 47 ± 08 and 32 ± 08 years respectively), with 86.4% of men were included. Smoking was associated to periodontitis (OR = 4.44 [1.73–11.43], p = 0.0031). Quality of oral hygiene was associated to high cardiovascular risk profile, poor/good (OR = 3.96 [1.07–14.57], p = 0.0386) and medium/good (OR = 3.44 [1.11–10.66], p = 0.0322).

Conclusion

Lifestyle as tobacco consumption and poor oral hygiene were associated to CVD among military, and this call for change.

Epidemiology of burnout syndrome in four occupational sectors in Cameroon-impact of the practice of physical activities and sport

Background

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of Burnout syndrome (BOS), risk factors and the effect of physical activity in six professions in Cameroon.

Methods

2012 participants completed questionnaires related to socio-demographic conditions and work perception. Appropriate Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) psychometers were used for specific professions. Level of physical activity and sports practice was determined using the Ricci and Gagnon scale.

Results

The overall prevalence of burnout was 67.9%; with 5.3% high; 34.3% moderate; and 60.4% low degree. 42.2% of victims of BOS were in high loss of personal achievement, 39.9% in high depersonalization of and 38.2% in high emotional exhaustion. Higher prevalence of BOS was found in Army (85.3%) and educational sectors (78.5% in secondary school teachers (SET) and 68% in university teaching staff (UTS)). BOS was significantly associated (p < 0.05) with distance from home to workplace, number of children per participant, number of hospitals attended, number of guards per month, labour hours per day, conflicts with the hierarchy, conflicts with colleagues, poor working conditions, unsatisfactory salary, part time teaching in private university institutions, job seniority, sedentariness. Apart from UTS, no association was observed between the level of physical activity and occurrence of BOS.

Conclusion

Burnout is a reality in occupational environments in Cameroon.

Cardiovascular disease risk factors of military: A comparative assessment with civilians

Background

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. Military population that seemed immune to these pathologies is now as exposed as the general population. The effective response to this public health problem first requires the identification of the level of exposure of populations. Thus, the objective of our study was to determine the prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) risk factors of the Cameroonian military population compared to civilians.

Methods

We conducted a cross-sectional study. It involved subjects aged 18 to 58 years, recruited from October 30, 2017 to November 13, 2018 at the Fifth Military Sector Health Center. Five cardiovascular risk factors were assessed, smoking, harmful alcohol consumption, obesity/overweight, hypertension and diabetes. The STEPwise model proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO) was used to estimate the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Mann Whitney and Fisher exact tests were used for statistics comparison.

Results

The study included 489 subjects, 270 military personnel and 219 civilians. The median age of the two populations was not significantly different (30 years versus 33 years, p = 0.6939). The proportion of smokers was higher in the military (12.59% versus 9%, p = 0.0011). Alcoholism was also higher in the military population (60.74% versus 13.24%, p = 0.0000). Similarly, military personnel were more obese than civilians (58.15% versus 40.18%, p = 0.0000). Distribution of hypertension and diabetes was not significantly different between military and civilians (18.15% versus 16.89%, p = 0.8113) and (1.48% versus 3.20%, p = 0.2321) respectively. The proportion of subjects with a high cardiovascular risk was higher in the military (14.81% versus 7.76%, p = 0.0162).

Conclusions

CVD risk factors are more prevalent in Cameroonian military population than in civilians. This result suggests that, in addition to national preventive campaigns, special attention is needed for military population in Cameroon.

Key messages

Cardiovascular disease risk factors are more prevalent in Cameroonian military population than in general population. in addition to national preventive campaigns, special attention is needed for military population in Cameroon.

Burnout syndrome and associated factors among university teaching staff in Cameroon: Effect of the practice of sport and physical activities and leisures

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the epidemiology of burnout syndrome among university teaching staff in Cameroon; and to establish if the practice of physical activities and leisures could have preventive effect.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study using a self-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, socio-professional conditions, Maslach Burnout Inventory-Educator Survey (MBI-ES) to evaluate burnout syndrome, and Ricci-Gagnon metrics to assess level of physical activities practice among grades of teaching staff, in the various faculties of the University of Douala, Cameroon.

RESULTS

Three hundreds and three teaching staff members aged 43±7 years were included (69% males). The prevalence of burnout syndrome was 68%, distributed within the three dimensions as follows: emotional exhaustion (15.2%), depersonalization (32.1%) and loss of personal accomplishment (22.1%), with 57% low level, 38% moderate and 6% severe. Burnout affected respectively 55.4% lecturers, 38.3% senior lecturers and 6.3% professors. Burnout was significantly associated with poor working conditions (P=0.0001), unsatisfactory salary (P=0.0001), part time teaching in private university institutions (P=0.027), sensation of strenuous job (P=0.002), conflict with colleagues (P=0.028), sedentariness (P=0.007). Sport and physical activities showed significant protective effect against burnout (P=0.004), the same with leisures (P=0.016).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence burnout syndrome is high among university teaching staff in Cameroon. The practice of sport and physical activities and leisures has a protective effect against burnout syndrome.

[Effect of intermittent variable intensity exercise on QT variation and risk of sudden cardiac death among Cameroonian school adolescents]

INTRODUCTION

Several cases of sudden deaths are observed among students practicing sport and physical activity (SPA). Just few studies have been carried out on the variation of the QT (interval) and risk of sudden death during sporting exercises.

AIM

To determine the effect of variable intermittent stress intensity on the variation of QT and the risk of sudden cardiac death.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Form 4, lower sixth and upper sixth students were recruited from a high school in Douala (Cameroon). Each subject was tested; starting with a 2-km walk followed by a sprint race or an endurance race, protocol I (P1) or the reverse; protocol II (P2). Two electrocardiograms were recorded; prior to the beginning of the SPA and 5minutes after the last race. QT was corrected using four formulas.

RESULTS

Forty-one subjects (21 women and 20 men), mean age 18±2 years were recruited. At the end of the exercise, corrected QT increased with Bazzet's formula and decreased with Frahmingam's formula. The difference was not significant with Fridericia and Hodges formulas. The frequency of long QT was higher at the end of the exercise with Bazzet's formula (12.2% vs. 24.4%, P=0.009) while the difference was not significant for the other formulas.

CONCLUSION

The risk of sudden cardiac death increases significantly after SPA. More studies on large samples are needed.

[Burnout syndrome among generalist medical doctors of Douala region (Cameroon): Can physical activities be a protective factor?]

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate and document the importance of Burnout syndrome among generalist medical doctors (GMD) since no investigation have been carried in Cameroon.

METHODS

Cross-sectional study including 85 GMD using a self-administered questionnaire on socio-demographic characteristics, socioprofessional conditions, Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) to evaluate burnout, and Ricci-Gagnon physical activities level metrics.

RESULTS

77 GMD (90.6 %) reported having never heard about burnout. Mean age was 29 years (range 24-42 years). The MBI-HSS revealed that 36 GMD (42.4 %) were victims of burnout, with 27 (31.8 %) at a low level, 8 (9.4 %) moderate and one (1.2 %) severe. Burnout was associated with distance from home to job place (p ⟨ 0.05), strenuous job (p = 0.04), number of children in charge (p = 0.007), number of hospital attended (p = 0.003), number of hours of labor per day (p = 0.0001), conflicts with the hierarchy (p = 0.01), number of guards per month (p = 0.01). Physical activities practice did not showed significant preventive effect on burnout (p = 0.3) (Odds-ratio = 1.45, IC 95 % 0.6, 3.45).

CONCLUSIONS

Burnout syndrome is not well known among GMD in Douala, though having a high prevalence. Various socio-demographic and socio-professional factors are associated and contribute to increase the level of affect. Burnout seems to be a vicious somato-psycho-somatic disorder. This study did not found a protective or preventive effect of physical activities on burnout.

Are athletes able to self-select their optimal warm up?

This study aimed to examine whether athletes are able to self-select their optimal warm up and to propose a methodological approach in investigating the effects of warm up on performance. Nine male subjects underwent a free field warm up (FWU) at a self-selected intensity and duration during which heart rate (HR) and rectal temperature (Tre) were monitored. The intensity of this warm up was subsequently estimated from the HR obtained during an incremental test to determine maximal power (Pmax). Performance (cycle time to exhaustion at Pmax), HR and Tre, were then examined following either: NWU (no warm up); RWU (reference warm up based on FWU); RWU-10 (warm up intensity diminished by 10% compared to RWU); and RWU+10 (warm up intensity increased by 10% compared to RWU). Results showed no significant difference in HR (P = 0.37) and Tre increase (P= 0.77) between FWU and RWU. Performance improvement after warm up conditions gave RWU (56%; ie, 5/9 subjects) >RWU-10 (33%; ie, 3/9) >RWU+10 (11%; ie, 1/9) >NWU with significant differences between RWU and NWU (P < 0.01); RWU and RWU+10 (P < 0.01); RWU-10 and NWU (P < 0.01). A warm up intensity ranging from 54-72% Pmax, and inducing an increase in heart rate to 80 +/- 6% HRmax, was found to be optimal. While most athletes were able to self-determine the intensity of their optimal warm up, for others there is still a need for control.

[Effects of preliminary muscular exercise on body temperature, water loss and physical performance]

We investigated the effects of preliminary exercise (muscular warm-up) on body temperature, water loss and physical performance during consecutive sustained exercise. Thirty-one untrained men aged 21 to 30 years old (mean 25.12 +/- 2.92) were subjected to two physical trial tests at 75% Pma. One trial. (T - PE) was performed without preliminary exercise (PE) and the other (T + PE) was preceded by 15 minutes of preliminary exercise performed at 50% Pma. The trials involved pedaling an ergocycle until exhaustion, followed by a 30 minutes period of inactive recovery. The rate of increase of body temperature during the work consecutive to preliminary exercise (T + PE) was lower than that of the work without preliminary exercise (T - PE). The energy output and water loss during T + PE were significantly (P < 0.01) greater than during T - PE. However, the body temperatures at the end of the two tests were identical. The rate of decrease of body temperature, measured after 30 minutes of recovery, was higher for T + PE than T - PE. The duration of work was increased by PE for 25 (80.65%) subjects and decreased for 6 (19.35%). We conclude that preliminary exercise allows better adjustment of thermohydric regulation by moderating the rise in body temperature and increasing water loss during physical work. For most subjects, these adjustments allow improved endurance.