khaled A B D O Selwy

Malaria drugs should be prescribed by doctors according to the national drug policy. Using malaria drugs irrationally can be both harmful and foster malaria resistance. Resistance reduces the effectiveness of these drugs, leading to increased morbidity, mortality, and health care expenditure.Objective: To identify the tools used by different health service providers (HSPs) in Yemen to diagnose malaria, whether they believed that any of their patients had presented with a drug-resistant form of malaria, and the type of resources they use to gain awareness about drug-resistant forms of malaria.Design: A cross sectional study was carried out in Hodeidaha, Yemen. Questionnaires and in-depth interviews were conducted with the HSPs.Sample and method: In order to obtain a study sample, half of the registered HSPs in the region were selected from the health registration records and surveyed. The final study sample was composed of 58 clinicians (doctors), 66 nurses, 50 laboratory specialists, and 68 pharmacists.Results and conclusion: There were no differences between the HSP groups in the use of a combination of clinical assessment and laboratory testing to diagnose malaria. However, there were differences between groups with respect to the diagnosis of malaria based on a laboratory test alone; physicians and nurses did not trust a laboratory test alone without a corresponding appropriate clinical presentation. A total of 93% of all participants were of the opinion that they had come across a form of drug-resistant malaria in their patients. All groups stated that their own experience was the main source of information on drug-resistant malaria. It is concluded that there is an urgent need to raise the awareness of all HSP groups about drug policy with respect to malaria and anti-malarial drug resistance in Yemen. More studies on drug-resistant strains of malaria should be undertaken.

Khat, is widely consumed for its stimulant effects, primarily in Yemen and parts of East Africa. It has a potential effect on physical, mental, social, and cognitive aspects of student functioning. The prevalence and determinants of khat chewing have been extensively studied in various populations, but limited research exists among secondary school students in this region.to investigate the prevalence and factors associated with khat chewing among secondary school students in Hodiedah, Yemen. This cross-sectional approach, combining quantitative and qualitative data., provides an updated overview of the prevalence and related factors of khat chewing. A targeted sample of 1000 students was recruited using stratified random sampling, ensuring equal representation of male and female students in rural and urban area, A pre-validated questionnaire collected quantitative data on socio-demographics, patterns of khat use, perceptions, and health impacts. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted to gather qualitative insights. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, logistic regression, and thematic analysis for the qualitative data. The results of the study indicated a high prevalence of khat chewing among all secondary school students males and females36.4%, while the prevelence among maleswas47,8% and among females25%. The gender disparity was statistically significant, with males having 2.05 times higher odds of chewing khat compared to females (p<0.001, 95% CI: 1.72-2.46). Employed students had 1.78 times higher odds of khat chewing compared to unemployed students (p = 0.001, 95% CI: 1.29-2.47). Furthermore, education level was significantly associated with khat chewing, with first-year high school graduates having 0.91 lower odds of chewing khat compared to those with lower education levels (p = 0.045, 95% CI: 0.83-1.00). Although rural residency showed a trend towards association, it did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.062, 95% CI: 1.14-1.79). The qualitative findings provided valuable insights into the knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to khat chewing among secondary school students. Students reported experiencing various health impacts, including difficulty urinating (79%) and dental and gastrointestinal issues (68%). Khat chewing was primarily undertaken for recreational purposes (56%), socializing (48%), relaxation (34%), and coping (29%). Students demonstrated a high level of awareness regarding the dangers, societal implications, and financial burden of khat chewing. This study therefore provides valuable numerical prevalence data and highlights several statistically significant demographic determinants of khat chewing among secondary school students in Hodiedah, Yemen. Findings can hopefully guide targeted interventions to address the serious issue.

Objective: To estimate the rate of ASO titer among students InHodiedah -Yemen Methods: A cross sectional study was done on 600 apparent healthy students of secondary school age betwen16-18, clustering sample was designed, We select 6 schools randomly equal for girls and boys , we enrolled one hundred sample from each school and we test all cases for ASO test. Results: The rate of ASO titer among students age16-18 is 44%, Approximative21.50% of males and 22,50% of females are PositiveCarrers and 28. % of males and 28% of females are Negative. This rate represents a high percentage in compression of many studies to range from 3.7 to 28.8%, and 38,6 in Grenadian Schools . And the carrier rate of beta-hemolytic streptococci was 34% in Saudia Arabia , High rate in our study 44%, reflect the high Prevalence of rheumatic fever and rheumatic heart disease36 per10,000 which is higher than that reported from neighboring countries24 per 10,000., Doctors, other health providers and health policy makers should be aware about that. ASO test like malaria test should be considerate for any streptococcal like diseases or malaria suspected cases in order to improve the diagnosis services in the health sector