Displaying publications 21 - 31 of 31 in total

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  1. Maimaiti N, Ahmed Z, Md Isa Z, Ghazi HF, Aljunid S
    Value Health Reg Issues, 2013 09 13;2(2):259-263.
    PMID: 29702874 DOI: 10.1016/j.vhri.2013.07.003
    OBJECTIVE: To measure the clinical burden of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) in selected developing countries.

    METHODS: This is an extensive literature review of published articles on IPD in selected developing countries from East Asia, South Asia, Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. We reviewed all the articles retrieved from the knowledge bases that were published between the years 2000 and 2010.

    RESULTS: After applying the inclusion, exclusion, and quality criteria, the comprehensive review of the literature yielded 10 articles with data for pneumococcal meningitis, septicemia/bacteremia, and pneumonia. These selected articles were from 10 developing countries from five different regions. Out of the 10 selected articles, 8 have a detailed discussion on IPD, one of them has s detailed discussion on bacteremia and meningitis, and another one has discussed pneumococcal bacteremia. Out of these 10 articles, only 5 articles discussed the case-fatality ratio (CFR). In our article review, the incidence of IPD ranged from less than 5/100,000 to 416/100,000 population and the CFR ranged from 12.2% to 80% in the developing countries.

    CONCLUSIONS: The review demonstrated that the clinical burden of IPD was high in the developing countries. The incidence of IPD and CFR varies from region to region and from country to country. The IPD burden was highest in sub-Saharan African countries followed by South Asian countries. The CFR was low in high-income countries than in low-income countries.

    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  2. Al Dhaheri AS, Bataineh MF, Mohamad MN, Ajab A, Al Marzouqi A, Jarrar AH, et al.
    PLoS One, 2021;16(3):e0249107.
    PMID: 33765015 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249107
    The COVID-19 pandemic is a major health crisis that has changed the life of millions globally. The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the pandemic on mental health and quality of life among the general population in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. A total of 6142 adults from eighteen countries within the MENA region completed an online questionnaire between May and June 2020. Psychological impact was assessed using the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and the social and family support impact was assessed with questions from the Perceived Support Scale (PSS). The IES-R mean score was 29.3 (SD = 14.8), corresponding to mild stressful impact with 30.9% reporting severe psychological impact. Most participants (45%-62%) felt horrified, apprehensive, or helpless due to COVID-19. Furthermore, over 40% reported increased stress from work and financial matters. Higher IES-R scores were found among females, participants aged 26-35 years, those with lower educational level, and participants residing in the North Africa region (p<0.005). About 42% reported receiving increased support from family members, 40.5% were paying more attention to their mental health, and over 40% reported spending more time resting since the pandemic started. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with mild psychological impact while it also encouraged some positive impact on family support and mental health awareness among adults in the MENA region. Clinical interventions targeted towards vulnerable groups such as females and younger adults are needed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  3. Ammar A, Chtourou H, Boukhris O, Trabelsi K, Masmoudi L, Brach M, et al.
    Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2020 Aug 27;17(17).
    PMID: 32867287 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph17176237
    Public health recommendations and governmental measures during the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic have enforced numerous restrictions on daily living including social distancing, isolation, and home confinement. While these measures are imperative to mitigate spreading of COVID-19, the impact of these restrictions on psychosocial health is undefined. Therefore, an international online survey was launched in April 2020 to elucidate the behavioral and lifestyle consequences of COVID-19 restrictions. This report presents the preliminary results from more than one thousand responders on social participation and life satisfaction.

    METHODS: Thirty-five research organizations from Europe, North-Africa, Western Asia, and the Americas promoted the survey through their networks to the general society, in 7 languages (English, German, French, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, and Slovenian). Questions were presented in a differential format with questions related to responses "before" and "during" confinement conditions.

    RESULTS: 1047 participations (54% women) from Asia (36%), Africa (40%), Europe (21%), and others (3%) were included in the analysis. Findings revealed psychosocial strain during the enforced COVID-19 home confinement. Large decreases (p < 0.001) in the amount of social activity through family (-58%), friends/neighbors (-44.9%), or entertainment (-46.7%) were triggered by the enforced confinement. These negative effects on social participation were also associated with lower life satisfaction (-30.5%) during the confinement period. Conversely, the social contact score through digital technologies significantly increased (p < 0.001) during the confinement period with more individuals (+24.8%) being socially connected through digital technology.

    CONCLUSION: These preliminary findings elucidate the risk of psychosocial strain during the early COVID-19 home confinement period in 2020. Therefore, in order to mitigate the negative psychosocial effects of home confinement, implementation of national strategies focused on promoting social inclusion through a technology-based solution is strongly suggested.

    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  4. Sankaran S
    Finance Dev, 1973 Dec;10(4):18-21.
    PMID: 12257161
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  5. Arrows Change, 1997 Aug;3(2):4-5.
    PMID: 12348425
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  6. Appleyard RT
    Asian Pac Migr J, 1992;1(1):1-18.
    PMID: 12317235
    "Wide income differentials, the threat of increased illegal immigration from developing countries, and sub-replacement fertility in the developed countries are some reasons for the recent reassessment of the relationship between migration and development.... The model presented in this article proposes different roles for permanent immigrants, contract workers, professional transients, illegal migrants and others according to the stages of modernization of the sending and receiving countries. The model was found consistent with the experiences of Mauritius, Seychelles, Singapore and, to a lesser extent, Malaysia."
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  7. Joekes S
    Focus Gend, 1994 Jun;2(2):13-8.
    PMID: 12345527
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  8. Stegger M, Wirth T, Andersen PS, Skov RL, De Grassi A, Simões PM, et al.
    mBio, 2014 Aug 26;5(5):e01044-14.
    PMID: 25161186 DOI: 10.1128/mBio.01044-14
    Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) was recognized in Europe and worldwide in the late 1990s. Within a decade, several genetically and geographically distinct CA-MRSA lineages carrying the small SCCmec type IV and V genetic elements and the Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL) emerged around the world. In Europe, the predominant CA-MRSA strain belongs to clonal complex 80 (CC80) and is resistant to kanamycin/amikacin and fusidic acid. CC80 was first reported in 1993 but was relatively rare until the late 1990s. It has since been identified throughout North Africa, the Middle East, and Europe, with recent sporadic reports in sub-Saharan Africa. While strongly associated with skin and soft tissue infections, it is rarely found among asymptomatic carriers. Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) CC80 strains are extremely rare except in sub-Saharan Africa. In the current study, we applied whole-genome sequencing to a global collection of both MSSA and MRSA CC80 isolates. Phylogenetic analyses strongly suggest that the European epidemic CA-MRSA lineage is derived from a PVL-positive MSSA ancestor from sub-Saharan Africa. Moreover, the tree topology suggests a single acquisition of both the SCCmec element and a plasmid encoding the fusidic acid resistance determinant. Four canonical SNPs distinguish the derived CA-MRSA lineage and include a nonsynonymous mutation in accessory gene regulator C (agrC). These changes were associated with a star-like expansion into Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa in the early 1990s, including multiple cases of cross-continent imports likely driven by human migrations.

    IMPORTANCE: With increasing levels of CA-MRSA reported from most parts of the Western world, there is a great interest in understanding the origin and factors associated with the emergence of these epidemic lineages. To trace the origin, evolution, and dissemination pattern of the European CA-MRSA clone (CC80), we sequenced a global collection of strains of the S. aureus CC80 lineage. Our study determined that a single descendant of a PVL-positive methicillin-sensitive ancestor circulating in sub-Saharan Africa rose to become the dominant CA-MRSA clone in Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. In the transition from a methicillin-susceptible lineage to a successful CA-MRSA clone, it simultaneously became resistant to fusidic acid, a widely used antibiotic for skin and soft tissue infections, thus demonstrating the importance of antibiotic selection in the success of this clone. This finding furthermore highlights the significance of horizontal gene acquisitions and underscores the combined importance of these factors for the success of CA-MRSA.

    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  9. Duza MB
    Popul Sci, 1987;7:1-30.
    PMID: 12315536
    "The present paper attempts to provide an analytical profile of development and human resources in [12] selected [Islamic] countries." The countries--Bangladesh, Somalia, Pakistan, Indonesia, Egypt, Turkey, Malaysia, Algeria, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and United Arab Emirates--vary in income levels from low to high and in population size from 1 million to 159 million. Using data from the World Bank and the Population Council, comparisons are made on the basis of mortality and fertility levels, family size, income, urbanization, labor force size and growth, education, nutrition, and health. Governmental policy changes and future directions are discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  10. Eldem B, Lai TYY, Ngah NF, Vote B, Yu HG, Fabre A, et al.
    Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol, 2018 May;256(5):963-973.
    PMID: 29502232 DOI: 10.1007/s00417-017-3890-8
    PURPOSE: To describe intravitreal ranibizumab treatment frequency, clinical monitoring, and visual outcomes (including mean central retinal thickness [CRT] and visual acuity [VA] changes from baseline) in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) in real-world settings across three ranibizumab reimbursement scenarios in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Asia-Pacific region.

    METHODS: Non-interventional multicenter historical cohort study of intravitreal ranibizumab use for nAMD in routine clinical practice between April 2010 and April 2013. Eligible patients were diagnosed with nAMD, received at least one intravitreal ranibizumab injection during the study period, and had been observed for a minimum of 1 year (up to 3 years). Reimbursement scenarios were defined as self-paid, partially-reimbursed, and fully-reimbursed.

    RESULTS: More than three-fourths (n = 2521) of the analysis population was partially-reimbursed for ranibizumab, while 16.4% (n = 532) was fully-reimbursed, and 5.8% was self-paid (n = 188). The average annual ranibizumab injection frequency was 4.1 injections in the partially-reimbursed, 4.7 in the fully-reimbursed and 2.6 in the self-paid populations. The average clinical monitoring frequency was estimated to be 6.7 visits/year, with similar frequencies observed across reimbursement categories. On average, patients experienced VA reduction of -0.7 letters and a decrease in CRT of -44.4 μm. The greatest mean CRT change was observed in the self-paid group, with -92.6 μm.

    CONCLUSIONS: UNCOVER included a large, heterogeneous ranibizumab-treated nAMD population in real-world settings. Patients in all reimbursement scenarios attained vision stability on average, indicating control of disease activity.

    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
  11. Erman M, Biswas B, Danchaivijitr P, Chen L, Wong YF, Hashem T, et al.
    BMC Cancer, 2021 Sep 14;21(1):1021.
    PMID: 34521387 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-021-08738-z
    BACKGROUND: Clinical effectiveness and safety data of pazopanib in patients with advanced or mRCC in real-world setting from Asia Pacific, North Africa, and Middle East countries are lacking.

    METHODS: PARACHUTE is a phase IV, prospective, non-interventional, observational study. Primary endpoint was the proportion of patients remaining progression free at 12 months. Secondary endpoints were ORR, PFS, safety and tolerability, and relative dose intensity (RDI).

    RESULTS: Overall, 190 patients with a median age of 61 years (range: 22.0-96.0) were included. Most patients were Asian (70%), clear-cell type RCC was the most common (81%), with a favourable (9%), intermediate (47%), poor (10%), and unknown (34%) MSKCC risk score. At the end of the observational period, 78 patients completed the observational period and 112 discontinued the study; 60% of patients had the starting dose at 800 mg. Median RDI was 82%, with 52% of patients receiving  10%) TEAEs related to pazopanib included diarrhoea (30%), palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia syndrome (15%), and hypertension (14%).

    CONCLUSIONS: Results of the PARACHUTE study support the use of pazopanib in patients with advanced or mRCC who are naive to VEGF-TKI therapy. The safety profile is consistent with that previously reported by pivotal and real-world evidence studies.

    Matched MeSH terms: Africa, Northern
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