BackgroundViolence against women is one of the major public health problems in both developed and developing worlds. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of current (occurred in one year preceding the survey) domestic violence and socio-demographic factors associated with domestic violence against women.MethodsThis was a cross sectional household survey (face to face interview) conducted in Kassala, eastern Sudan, from 1st March to 1st June 2014. Multivariable analyses were performed, Confidence intervals of 95% were calculated and P < 0.05 was considered significant.ResultsOf the 1009 women, 33.5% (338) reported current experience of physical violence and, of these 338 women, 179 (53%) and 159 (47%) reported moderate and severe form of physical violence respectively. The prevalence of sexual coercion, psychological violence and verbal insult was 17% (172\1009), 30.1% (304\1009) and 47.6% (480\1009) respectively. In the majority of cases, violence was experienced as repeated acts, ie, more than three times per year. For verbal insult 20.1% (203\480) and 27.5% (277\480) reported yelling and shouting respectively. Again 251 (24.9%) and 270 (26.8%) women reported that they experience divorce threat and second marriage threat respectively. In logistic regression model, husband’s education (OR = 1.5; CI = 1.0-2.1; P = 0.015), polygamous marriage (OR = 1.9; CI = 1.3-2.9; P = 0.000), and husband’s alcohol consumption (OR = 13.9; CI = 7.9-25.4; P <0.000) were significantly associated with domestic violence.ConclusionsDomestic violence was found to be highly prevalent in eastern Sudan and strongly associated with the educational status, polygamous marriage and husband’s alcohol consumption. We recommend more research to include men.

BackgroundFemale genital mutilation (FGM) is a major public health problem, especially in developing countries.MethodThis was a prospective observational cohort study conducted over six months duration (1st July-31st December 2015) at Omdurman Maternity Hospital, Khartoum, Sudan, primarily to determine whether exposure to FGM/C (exposed Vs. non-exposed) and degree of exposure (type III Vs. type I) are associated with impaired sexual function or not?. As secondary objective, the study also investigated the association between FGM/C and postpartum complications (eg: difficulties in cervical examination, episiotomy wound infection, postpartum bleeding) by following the participants from the time of admission at the hospital, through vaginal delivery and until the 6th post-partum week.ResultsA total of 230 (subjected to FGM/C) and 190 (not subjected to FGM/C) women were approached. The clinical examinations evidenced that the majority (67.8%) had FGM type 3, while the remainder (32.2%) had type 1. The most common reported sexual complication was dyspareunia (76%). Bleeding following first attempt of sexual intercourse was reported in 35.2% followed by reduced sexual desire 62.6%, reduced sexual satisfaction 40.9% and need for surgery to release labial adhesions at first attempt of sexual intercourse 30.4%. With regard to FGM- related complications that occurred during labor 76.5% required an episiotomy, 61.7% experienced difficulties in cervical examination, 57.8% needed defibulations during second stage of labor, 26.5% complicated by episiotomy wound infection and 2.2% developed obstetric hemorrhage. In this study FGM/C was a significant factor increasing the risk of sexual complications. Interestingly when using logistic regression analysis the FGM-related complications were not significantly varied by FGM/C types.ConclusionOur observations indicate that FGM/C is a serious public health problem and there should be an urgent intervention such as planned health education campaigns to end FGM/C practice.

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The pharyngeal pouch (Zenker's diverticulum) is a diverticulum of the mucosa of the pharynx, just above the cricopharyngeal muscle (i.e. above the upper sphincter of the oesophagus). It occurs commonly in elderly patients (over 70 year) and the typical symptoms include dysphagia, regurgitation, chronic cough, aspiration and weight loss. We are reporting a case of an oropharyngeal dysphagia due to a Zenker's diverticulum in 75 years old Sudanese man with a chronic history of dysphagia for solids. The pathophysiology of Zenker's diverticulum, clinical presentation, and management are reviewed.

Background: Accurate timing for diagnosis and treatment of latent tuberculosis (LTB) is important to reduce morbidity and mortality for both mother and child. Objectives: To investigate the prevalence rate of LTB and its associated factors during pregnancy using gamma interferon (IFN- γ) release assay (IGRA). Methods: A cross-sectional facility-based study carried out in Kassala hospital, Eastern Sudan between January and March 2015. Results: Two hundred and forty-nine women were enrolled in this study and 18.1% (45/249) had confirmed positive for M. tuberculosis infection using IGRA. The mean age, parity and gestational age of the LTB patients were 29.6 (4.4), 2.2 (1.2) and 21.9 (8.8), respectively. The vast majority of these patients was of rural residence (72.7%), housewives (91.1%) and illiterate (73.3%). More than half (25, 55.6%) gave a history of contact with tuberculosis patients, 26.7% (12/45) were vaccinated and 11.1% (5/45) had a medical history of diabetes mellitus. In logistic regression model, while age, parity, education, occupation, size of family members, smoking, BCG status and medical history of diabetes mellitus were not associated with latent tuberculosis during pregnancy, history of contact with TB patients (OR=13.5; CI=5.6 to 32.5; P<0.001) and rural residence (OR=0.3; CI=0.1 to 0.7; P=0.006) was significantly correlated to LTB in pregnancy. Conclusion: Thus, screening of all pregnant women living in high burden setting of tuberculosis is recommended even in the absence of overt clinical signs of the disease.</P>