Background In 2012, the WHO described the quality of health care as the route to equity and dignity for women and children. Aim of the work To provide community based support and empowerment to women in childbearing period to seek optimal prenatal, natal and postnatal healthcare. Achieving this is anticipated to decrease maternal morbidity and mortality in Egypt. Subjects and methods An interventional study was conducted among women in childbearing period in the poorest two governorates of Upper Egypt. The study passed through three stages over three and a half years; pre-interventional assessment of awareness (n = 1000), educational interventions targeting the health providers and all women in childbearing period in their communities (n = 20,494), and post-intervention evaluation of change in awareness of their rights for prenatal, natal and postnatal care (no = 1150). Results The studied indicators relating to receiving care in pregnancy, labor, and puerperium have changed dramatically as a result of the study interventions. Results of the study showed that before interventions, the surveyed women had inaccurate knowledge regarding most of the items related to their rights. The percentages of women aware of their right to have pregnancy card increased and those who possessed a pregnancy card were doubled with a significant percent change of more than 25%. Some indicators showed more than 75% improvement, including; percent of surveyed women who knew that it’s their right to follow up their pregnancy and to deliver with a specialized doctor, a trained nurse or at an equipped health facility, and those who knew their right to have at least two home preparations necessary for safe delivery at home. Conclusion and recommendations More work is needed in order to achieve the targeted reduction of maternal mortality. This could be achieved by ensuring accessible and high quality care provided by the governmental health facilities together with increasing the awareness of women regarding their rights in receiving such care.

The health benefits of clean water, improved sanitation and better hygiene are now more recognized than ever before. The objective of the present study focused on monitoring the progress of behavioural changes towards appropriate behaviours related to water, environment and sanitation (WES). This was achieved through assessing the baseline community behaviours towards WES, exploring to what extent community hygienic behaviours had changed towards desirable and sustainable behaviours, through monitoring progress. The expected behavioural changes are results of an integrated package; safe water supply, sanitation, and hygiene education interventions produced by governmental and non-governmental organizations. The monitoring progress consisted of three household surveys that were administered over three years in four Egyptian districts within three Governorates; Fayoum, Beni Suef, and El-Menia. Behavioural changes were detected through special observation checklist indicators. These indicators were 7, 6, and 9 indicators each for personal hygienic behaviours, proper handling of drinking water, and proper use and maintenance of simple constructed sanitary latrines. The results from the baseline to mid-term and final surveys suggested improvement in the majority of the household behaviours towards the desirable behaviours. The proportions of the householders who practiced desirable behaviours were not to the same levels in the four districts. The results provide support to the concept that integrated interventions can produce a significant sustainable improvement in health promotion.

BACKGROUND: In the wake of the adverse situation we are currently facing globally due to the coronavirus pandemic outbreak, it is normal to feel stressed, confused, and scared but what is abnormal is to turn this to panic. Phobias are more pronounced than fears. They develop when a person has an exaggerated or unrealistic sense of danger that may be evolved to experience panic attacks. AIM: Our objective was to identify the prevalence of most common phobias as well as panic disorder (PD) due to the coronavirus pandemic among Egyptian primary schoolchildren and their determinants. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 2015 schoolchildren from 3 to 6 grades in three governorates of Egypt. Seven types of phobias were investigated: Agoraphobia, phobias from darkness, animal, untreatable illness (mainly coronavirus), insects, height, and social phobia. The child’s self-reported PD symptoms were assessed using DSM-IV with psychiatric diagnoses. RESULTS: Almost two-thirds of the surveyed primary schoolchildren have phobias of the low score (<9) versus one-third who had high phobias score (61.% vs. 35%, respectively) with highly significant difference (p < 0.001). The most prevalent phobias were from heights (66.5%) followed by darkness (60.0%). The important predictors of phobias were: Being a male child, living in an urban area, and studying at governmental school at fifth or sixth-grade residence. The prevalence of PD due to the corona epidemic is very high, it is reported by almost half of the surveyed primary schoolchildren. Fear of losing any of their family members, especially grandparents, was reported to be the highest PD symptom (97%). CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION: Phobia from heights and darkness was the most common. The prevalence of PD due to the coronavirus epidemic is reported to be very high. Calming down children who might be experienced with a phobia that is triggering their PD is recommended.

Background: Organ donation has become one of the most effective ways to save lives and improve the quality of life for patients with end-stage organ failure. No previous studies have investigated the preferences for the different consenting options for organ donation in Egypt. This study aims to assess Egyptians' preferences regarding consenting options for posthumous organ donation, and measure their awareness and acceptance of the Egyptian law articles regulating organ donation. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 2743 participants over two years. Each participant was required to rank eleven consenting options from 1 (most preferred) to 11 (least preferred), and to report his awareness and acceptance of the seven articles of the Egyptian law of organ donation. Results: 47% of the participants expressed willingness to donate their organs after death. This percentage increased to 78% when consenting options were explained to participants. "Informed consent by donor only" was the most preferred type of consent for one third of respondents. Awareness of the law articles regulating organ donation was relatively low ranging from 56% to 23%. Conclusion: Currently, around half of the Egyptian population agree to posthumous organ donation. This percentage could be increased significantly by raising the awareness about how the process of donation could be regulated and how the patient's right of decision could be protected.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is predicted to increase over the coming years. AIM: The objectives of the study were to measure the level of awareness and healthy practices related to five healthy domains and assess the effect of different demographic characteristics, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level, and body mass index (BMI) on these levels among diabetic patients in a rural Egyptian village. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was done on 300 selected insulin-dependent diabetic patients resident in an Egyptian village. Data were collected using a questionnaire covering five domains: General disease awareness and management compliance practice, check-up, foot care, diet, and physical activity. HbA1c and BMI were also measured as an impact of the management adherence. RESULTS: The study found that more than three quarters of the participants (82.0%) were uncontrolled or poorly uncontrolled (HbA1c >8) diabetics and 76.0% were either obese or morbidly obese. Total awareness and practices percentage scores were low (42.4 ± 16.8% and 40.5 ± 12.3%, respectively). The linear regression model showed that high educational level had significantly positive effects on both the total awareness and practice scores as well as their domains. The study found that female participants and those having relatives with DM had significantly higher diet awareness and practice scores (p < 0.05). Younger age had significantly higher scores on foot care and diet awareness scores, physical activity, general disease awareness, and management compliance practices domains. CONCLUSION: The studied awareness and practice domains were inadequate. Their improvement is cornerstones to impact glycemic control of diabetics and control their health risks, especially in rural communities.