Background and ObjectivesImported malaria poses a serious public health problem in Qatar because its population is “naïve” to such infection; where local transmission might lead to serious, life-threatening infection and might even trigger epidemics.MethodsThis study is a retrospective review of the imported malaria cases in Qatar reported by the malaria surveillance program at the Ministry of Public Health (MoPH), during the period between January 2008 and December 2015. All cases were imported and underwent parasitological confirmation through microscopy.ResultsA total of 4092 malaria cases were reported during 2008–2015 in Qatar. The demographic features of the imported cases show that the majority of cases were males (93%), non-Qatari (99.6%), and aged 15 to 44 years (82.1%). Moreover, P. vivax was found to be the main etiologic agent accounting for more than three-quarters (78.7%) of the imported cases. In addition, almost a third (33.1%) of the cases were reported during the months of July, August, and September.ConclusionsImported malaria in Qatar has witnessed an increase during the past seven years, despite a long period of constant reduction; where the people most affected were adult male migrants from endemic countries. Many challenges need to be overcome to prevent the reintroduction of malaria into the country.

ObjectiveThe current study aimed to assess the awareness of colorectal cancer (CRC) symptoms and risk factors among the at-risk population visiting the primary healthcare (PHC) centres in Qatar. The secondary objective was to assess the differences in awareness among population subgroups.DesignA cross-sectional study design was employed.SettingThe study was conducted across six PHC centres in Qatar.ParticipantsPatients, or their accompanying people, aged 50–74 years and Arabic or English speakers, were recruited from the main waiting areas of the selected PHC centres.Data collection and analysisParticipants were interviewed using the validated Bowel/Colorectal Cancer Awareness Measure questionnaire. A non-probability convenient sampling technique was applied to recruit participants. Descriptive and analytic statistics were used when appropriate. A multivariate linear regression model was constructed to identify the independent predictors of CRC awareness.ResultsThe study includes 448 participants (response rate=87%). The mean age of the participants was 58.48 years (SD ±6.37). The mean awareness score among the participants was 3.63/9 (SD ±2.7) for CRC symptoms and 5.43/11 (SD ±3.3) for CRC risk factors. The overall mean awareness score was 9.03/20 (SD ±5.5). Multivariate linear regression identified the female gender (2.52 (95% CI 1.15 to 3.88)), non-Qatari Arab (2.91 (95% CI 1.64 to 4.18)) or non-Arab nationalities (1.76 (95% CI 0.28 to 3.24)), and tertiary education (4.10 (95% CI 2.55 to 5.66)) as independent predictors of higher CRC awareness.ConclusionIn general, the awareness of CRC symptoms and risk factors was low among the at-risk population in Qatar. Specifically, the regression analysis showed men, Qataris, and those with no formal education had low awareness of CRC symptoms and risk factors. Such results emphasise the importance of tailoring future educational campaigns that are relevant, specific and appealing to such cohort.

BackgroundDespite being a neglected issue in adolescent health, interpersonal violence such as physical fighting constitutes a prominent cause of physical injuries in adolescents.AimWe aimed to study the prevalence of physical fighting and its associated factors among Qatar's adolescent population.MethodWe analyzed secondary data from Qatar's Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS) 2011 to determine the prevalence as well as the associated factors of being engaged in a physical fight in the last 12 months.ResultsIt was found that almost half of the participants (49%) were involved in a physical fight; mostly males (60.5%) than females (37.6%). Being bullied, smoking, and having parental supervision were positively associated with physical fighting (OR = 3.97, 95% CI (3.68, 4.28); OR = 1.78, 95% CI (1.61, 1.97); OR = 1.14, 95% CI (1.05, 1.23), respectively).ConclusionFurther behavioral research on adolescent violence will inform the development of youth-targeted violence prevention programs.

BackgroundThe high influx of migrant workers from malaria-endemic countries along with the presence of a malaria vector in Qatar has raised the alarm of the possible reintroduction of local transmission. Meanwhile, the Qatar Malaria Surveillance System aims to detect any local malaria transmission as well as to monitor trends in imported cases.AimEvaluating the attributes of the Malaria Surveillance System in Qatar will help identify any gaps necessitating rectification.MethodThe completeness and timeliness of the malaria surveillance system were determined. The direct method was used to determine completeness. Timeliness was evaluated by calculating the time lag between the onset of disease and notification receipt by the surveillance team (T) or diagnosis (T1) and between the diagnosis and receipt of notification by the surveillance team (T2).ResultsThe overall external completeness of Malaria surveillance system was yielded at 47% (219/493). The most frequently reported data fields were found to be age, gender, and nationality with a percentage of 99% or more. However, the least reported data components were found to be lab results, types of samples, sample collection, and travel destinations with percentages of 59%, 58%, 56%, and 41%, respectively.The overall median time lags was six days for T, four days for T1, and two days for T2.ConclusionOur study has identified several merits and areas of improvement in the National Malaria Surveillance System in Qatar. The attributes of evaluation, completeness and timeliness, need more quality improvement. Evaluation of other surveillance system attributes is highly recommended.

Since the commencement of the International Health Regulations in 2007, global public health security has been faced with numerous emerging and ongoing events. Moreover, the Joint External Evaluation is a voluntary tool developed in compliance with the Global Health Security Agenda that represents the high responsibility of international health community towards the increased incidence of emerging and re-emerging diseases. Against this background, between 29th May and 2nd June 2016, a team of World Health Organization consultants arrived to the State of Qatar to assess, in collaboration with national experts, the country’s capacity to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to threats of public health aspect. They identified areas of strength, weakness, and recommendations for improving national health security of Qatar in anticipation of the 2022 FIFA World Cup event. Qatar has demonstrated a leading role in the region through its commitment to International Health Regulations (2005) and population health. Similarly, the Qatar was the first Arab state and seventh volunteering country globally to undergo the Joint External evaluation process. In this review, we highlighted Qatar’s achievements and shortcomings of International Health Regulations’ core capacities to inform healthcare professionals and the scientific community about the country’s contribution toward global health security.

Background: In Qatar, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer and is projected to be more than triple by 2035. Therefore, CRC periodic screening is vitally important because early detection will improve the success of treatment. In 2016, Qatar established a population-based screening program for CRC targetting average-risk adults. This study aimed to determine the perceived barriers to undergo CRC screening in eligible adults in Qatar and the associated factors. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of individuals aged 50-74 years who have been never screened, across six primary health centers between September 2018 and January 2019. A non-probability sampling method was used to recruit participants. Participants were interviewed using a structured questionnaire. Descriptive and analytic statistics were applied. Results: A total of 188 individuals participated in the study. The mean age of the participants was 58.3 (SD ±6.4) years. Most participants were females (54.5%) and non-Qatari Arabs (54.3%). The top five reported barriers to CRC screening were: not at risk due to absence of symptoms (60.6%), not at risk due to absence of family history (55.1%), not at risk due to adopting a healthy lifestyle (52.7%), lack of time (41%), and lack of reminders by healthcare workers (39.4%). Bivariate analyses identified statistically significant associations between certain barriers and female gender, nationality, and educational level (primary school and below). Conclusion: The present study identified several barriers to undergoing CRC screening among eligible adults in Qatar. Such results provide a basis for tailoring of future educational campaigns that are relevant, specific, and appealing to such a cohort.

Introduction Malaria is the world's most widely spread febrile illness. Globally, around 302 million people are at risk of malaria, with 216 million new cases and 445 000 deaths (compared to 446,000 deaths in 2015) attributed to malaria annually. The African region contributed 91% of global malaria cases followed by the Southeast Asian (6%) and Eastern Mediterranean regions (2%). The majority of deaths occur among young children, pregnant women, non-immune travelers, refugees, displaced persons, and laborers traveling to endemic areas. 1 Moreover, it is well known that those visiting friends and relatives (VFR) are at high risk of malaria as they are less likely to use chemoprophylaxis. 2 Imported malaria is currently one of the major threats to the significant achievement of global malaria control, 3 which has led to a substantial reduction in morbidity and mortality in high transmission areas and interruption of transmission in low transmission areas. Though indigenous transmission of malaria has been eliminated in most of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, a large number of imported malaria cases occur, especially among the sizeable migrant workforces in these countries. 4 The majority of these workers come from the Indian subcontinent, while the remaining cases are from sub-Saharan African countries, including Sudan, Ethiopia, http://ijtmgh.com

Introduction According to the World Health Organization (WHO), foodborne diseases (FBD’s) have become a global health issue. In Qatar, foodborne diseases are among the top ten events reported to the Ministry of Public Health. Efforts to enhance FBD surveillance cannot succeed without involving the emergency department (ED), which is typically the first point of contact for the FBD victims with the healthcare system. Therefore, we aimed to explore the knowledge and practices of emergency physicians regarding stool sample collection as part of FBD surveillance efforts in Qatar. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted at the ED of Hamad General Hospital (HGH) between July 22 and September 12 of 2018. The enrolled participants were invited to participate in an online survey at the “QSurvey” platform. The data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel (Version 2016). Descriptive statistics such as frequency tables, proportions, and percentages were applied as appropriate. Results A total of 65 responses (response rate: 29.27%) were received within the duration of the study. Most participants were specialists (45%), graduated between 2000 and 2013 (64%), and worked for one year or more at HGH-Hamad Medical Corporation (95%). Regarding their knowledge of FBD surveillance, most participants (80%) reported that a stool culture is a necessary laboratory investigation for patients with acute bloody diarrhea and fever. Also, a large percentage of physicians identified salmonella (75%), Clostridium difficile (70%), and E.coli O157:H7 (70%) as pathogens of nationally notifiable diseases. Regarding the respondents’ practice towards FBD surveillance, almost three-quarters of the physicians (72%) who encountered a patient with acute diarrhea did not order a stool culture. Subsequently, about two-thirds (62%) of the participants who requested a stool culture reported not following up on the results of such request. Regarding the history taken from patients with acute diarrhea, a large percentage of respondents reported asking about the patient’s travel history (100%), presence of any sick contacts (93.6%), and presence of any associated symptoms (abdominal pain, fever, bloody stool) as well as other details. Conclusion The current research identified several gaps regarding the knowledge and practice of emergency physicians towards the surveillance of foodborne disease. Such results serve as a basis for future research and intervention strategies to augment surveillance activities related to food-borne diseases in the State of Qatar.