Aim. To determine the score and frequency of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) among female college students and to detect the possible risk factors of PMS. A trial of life style modification regarding prevention and control of PMS symptoms was carried out using counseling. Materials and Methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 253 El-Minia University unmarried female students. A self-administered questionnaire inquiring about symptoms of PMS in the previous three months and risk factors possibly related to it was used. PMS score was calculated. Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine which of several biopsychosocial and dietary factors influenced PMS. Life style modification counseling was done to prevent and control PMS. Results. The study revealed that 80.2% of the participants experienced various degrees of PMS symptoms which were significantly associated with a family history of PMS, physical inactivity, habitual excess consumption of coffee, BMI, frequent consumption of fast food, and smoking, but these factors explained only 52% of the variability in the logistic regression model. Conclusion. We recommend the introduction of a reproductive health component into school and college health education programs and encourage female adolescents and young adults to adopt a healthy behavior.

Aim:Was to describe the knowledge, attitude, and actual practices of mothers in a rural area in Egypt regarding breastfeeding, complementary feeding and weaning and to explore the effect of educational background and age on these views.Materials and Methods:A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 307 rural mothers who have a youngest child aged 2 years or less. Mothers were selected using systematic random sampling.Results:All the studied mothers knew that breastfeeding is the best nutritional source for the baby. The majority of the mothers had good knowledge about the advantages of breastfeeding for child. As regards weaning, majority (92.5%) of the mothers defined weaning as breastfeeding cessation. Most of the mothers (94.8%) agreed that breastfeeding protect child from infection, 96.1% agreed that it is the healthiest for infant, 76.5% agreed that breast milk lead to loss of figure, and 83.4% agreed that breastfeeding should be avoided during mother's illness. About 84% initiated breastfeeding immediately after delivery, and 42.7% of the studied mothers offered pre-lacteal feeds to baby before lactation. About thirty quarters (74.2%) of mothers fed colostrum. Exclusive breast-feeding was found to be associated with mother's education (P < 0.0001) but not with mother's age at birth, mother's occupation, or place of birth.Conclusion:There is a need for health care system interventions, family interventions, and public health education campaigns to promote optimal BF practices, especially in less educated women.

The greater part of the patients was not aware of their rights at a satisfactory level. Health care providers should place more emphasis on increasing the patients' awareness about their rights and involve them in making decisions regarding their treatment choices. The Ministry of Health needs to be more sensitive to this issue.

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BackgroundFemale genital cutting, also termed female genital mutilation (FGM), is a damaging practice with no health benefits for girls or women, and is considered to be a violation of children’s rights.MethodsA cross-sectional, community-based study using interview administered questionnaire to explore knowledge and attitude of people living in a rural area in Minia. Systematic random sampling was used to interview 618 males and females above the age of 18 in the period from September to November 2016.ResultsFGM was performed on 76.6% of females, complications occurred in 35.6% of them. Females demonstrated a higher level of knowledge than males. Nearly 56% of respondents believed that this practice should continue. Females were more supportive of the continuation of FGM than men (60.3% vs. 47.9%). The attitude that FGM is a good practice, knowledge level, women’s status and religion were significantly associated with women’s willingness to subject their daughters to FGM in the future. Attitude was the only significant predictor associated with men’s willingness to subject their daughters to FGM.ConclusionThe strong correlation between social pressure and intentions to carry out FGM means that FGM practice will continue to be embraced among future generations unless policies are put in place to eradicate this practice through empowering females by education and reasonable income.

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Working children are at high risk of many health problems. Poverty, parents' illiteracy, large family size and fathers' absence are the driving force for child labor in the rural community of Eastern Minia.

Background: Nowadays, stress has been tagged a global phenomenon. Many undergraduate students undergo considerable stress, and a variety of sources of stress have been identified among university students. The aim of this study is to identify the level of perceived stress and its predictors among medical and nonmedical Minia University students. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study comparing between medical and nonmedical students in Minia University, conducted during the period from March to April 2017. The sample consisted of 314 medical and 291 nonmedical students chosen through cluster random sampling as a section was chosen randomly from each academic year and collectively form the final sample. Data were collected through interview by a questionnaire inquiring about sociodemographic data, common stressors as academic, financial, family, and transportation stressors and Cohen Perceived Stress Scale 10. Results: The prevalence of perceived stress was slightly higher (88.9%) among medical students than among nonmedical students (83.5%). Severe stress was found among (18.8%) of medical students compared to (12.4%) among nonmedical students ( P < 0.05). The significant predictors of perceived stress were academic stressors, no exercise and being female among medical students, and were academic and financial stressors among nonmedical students. Conclusions: Medical students perceived more stress than nonmedical students. The academic stressors were significant predictors among all students; hence, there is a need for the establishment of students counseling unit, to facilitate coping with the stress of study and examination.