Medical and Health Sciences
Permanent URI for this collection
Browse
Recent Submissions
- ItemASSOCIATION OF HOUSEHOLD FOOD INSECURITY AND NUTRITION-RELATED KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES WITH NUTRITIONAL STATUS AMONG MOTHERS AGED ? 18 IN PALESTINE: NATIONAL STUDY(An-Najah National University, 2025-02-17) Salahat, EmanBackground: The global understanding of the relationship between food insecurity and maternal nutrition has improved, with researchers underlining the necessity of evaluating not just the availability of food but also the quality of food and its nutritional content. Furthermore, the need to look at food's social and cultural aspects, such as women's nutrition-related behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge, is becoming increasingly apparent. Developing successful treatments to enhance maternal nutrition and, consequently, improve child health outcomes requires consideration of these aspects. Nutrition-related knowledge and attitudes are necessary for dietary changes toward a healthier dietary pattern. For that reason, nutrition-related knowledge, attitude, and practice are some of the key factors in achieving households' food and nutritional security. Aim: to examine the association between household food insecurity and nutritional status and nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) among mothers aged ≥ 18 years in the West Bank, Palestine. Methodology: A cross-sectional design was used in the study, which was conducted in households in West Bank/ Palestine. The target population in the households living in the West Bank is mothers aged ≥ 18 years. Stratified cluster sampling with a total sample size of 720 Households. The validated Radimer/Cornell Household Food Security questionnaire was used to assess the status of household food security status. Nutritional status (Body mass index) and dietary intake recall (24-hour dietary recalls for two days) were taken to assess the nutritional status of the mothers. Nutrition-related Knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of mothers was assessed using the Food and Agriculture Organization module related to Iron deficiency anemia (Module no. 6) Result: Numerous socioeconomic characteristics were found in 720 West Bank families surveyed; the majority of household mothers were under 40, and 62.6% had a university degree. The average family size was 4.4, 33.8% of households made between 3001 and 5000 NIS per month, and only 5.6% of households received food assistance. 13.1% of households experienced food insecurity, mostly as a result of financial hardships, and 3.3% of the households had hungry children. Tiny percentages (1.5%) were underweight, whereas the majority (61.5%) were overweight or obese, indicating the need for dietary treatments. Factors such as education, income, location, and dependence on food assistance were associated with food insecurity, underscoring the need for focused assistance for disadvantaged populations. Conclusion: Food insecurity in the West Bank is complex, as this study shows, with notable socioeconomic, demographic, nutritional, and KAP differences between households. The main risk factors for food insecurity were found to be middle-aged families, lower educational attainment, geographical disparities, refugee status, and poor income.
- ItemPROGNOSIS OF PATIENTS WITH ACUTE RESPIRATORY FAILURE AND PROLONGED INTENSIVE CARE UNIT STAY AT A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY(An-Najah National University, 2025-03-16) Mallouh, ManarBackground: Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is one of the greatest serious clinical conditions often need ICU admission and is linked with prolonged hospital stay. The main purpose of this study was to examine outcomes in order to identify risk factors related to the length of stay (LOS) in the intensive care unit (ICU) of patients with ARF. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients were admitted from 2018 to 2023 to the intensive care unit of a tertiary care hospital and were involved if they were adults diagnosed with ARF volunteer. We systematically retrieved demographic characteristics within electronic health records and documented clinical variables and interventions of every patient, including ventilation support. Logistic regression models, t-tests, and chisquare tests were completed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 21 to govern potential predictors of mortality and LOS. Results: Out of the 460 participants, 61–52 percent were male, with an average age of 59. However, neither age nor gender was found to significantly influence mortality rates. Vital clinical signs of impending death comprise of a systolic blood pressure below 110 mmHg, a heart rate of 100 bpm or higher, a temperature under 37°C, a Glasgow coma scale score below 14, a hematocrit value of fewer than 26, a sodium concentration below 139 mEq/L, and a pH value below 7.36. There appeared to be higher survival rates between patients who had lower acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) scores. On the other hand, shorter periods on ventilators and less invasive procedures were connected with better outcomes. Significant issues that affected mortality are such as admission for pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and post-operative cases while complications like vasopressor use, renal disease, and hepatic injury also improved the rates of death as well as longer LOS. Conclusion: This study highlights the significance of thorough clinical assessment and modified management strategies for ICU patients with ARF who have long stays. To improve survival rates while reducing the period of hospital stays, standard risk assessment tools such as the APACHE score should be used alongside progressions in ventilation methods. Moreover, employing multidisciplinary approaches to tackle the patient's comorbidities and associated complications can improve the prognosis even more.
- ItemTHE ASSOCIATION OF DIETARY BEHAVIORS WITH MENTAL HEALTH AND CLINICAL CLINICAL ASPECTSAMONG PATIENTS DURING HEMODIALYSIS AT AN-NAJAH NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL(An-Najah National University, 2025-02-25) Arman, MimasBackground: Intradialytic hypotension (IDH) is a frequent consequence of (HD) that has been associated with elevated symptom burden, increased access failure, cardiovascular events, and increased mortality). Eating during dialysis (EDD) treatment has traditionally been associated with an increased risk of IHD, but new research suggests a shift in clinical practice, with more clinicians believing that intradialysis meals and supplements may be a way to increase caloric intake and improve nutritional status (NS) in HD patients The main objective is to study the association between eating practice and nutrition status (NS), clinical outcome (CO): IHD, adequate dialysis (AD) and mental health (MH) in adults with HD at An-Najah National University Hospital. Methods: This study used an observational and cross-sectional design. Data collection started in July 2024 and finished in October 2024. The study included 155 adult hemodialysis patients from An-Najah University Hospital. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews, which included: first, socio-demographic data; second, medical history; third, dialysis-related information; fourth, nutritional status using ABCD, which includes body measurements, body mass index, biochemical tests, and clinical nutrition (MIS and dietary record for dialysis and non-dialysis days, which helps to know the number of food groups and food types, as well as the amount of energy and protein consumed during the day); fifth, dietary intake practices; and finally, mental health utilizing the GHQ-12 questionnaire. The patient was observed for three sessions, including data collected on food intake (yes or no), symptom presence (yes or no), and minimum mean arterial pressure (MAP). In addition, policies and recommendations for the specialist, staff, and hospital were recorded. Results: The study included 155 HD patients, of whom 66.5% were male and 79.4% EDD. The face-to-face interviews data showed that there was no association between EDD and NS or MH status. The observational data showed there was no association between EDD and symptoms, or a decrease in blood pressure, and AD . Conclusions: In conclusion, based on face-to-face interviews , there was no association between dialysis patients' eating habits and the NS or MH. Observational data additionally showed that there was no association between EDD with AD and symptoms or a decrease in blood pressure during the dialysis.
- ItemTHE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN WAR RELATED AND POLITICAL POSTS IN SOCIAL MEDIA AND MENTAL HEALTH OUTCOMES AMONG PALESTINIANS:THE MEDIATING ROLES OF RESILIENCE, SOCIAL SUPPORT AND RELIGIOSITY(An-Najah National University, 2025-02-27) Amireh, BalqisThe current study investigated the correlation between war-related political posts on social media and mental health outcomes and whether social support, religiosity, and resiliency mediate the correlation between the two variables among Palestinians living in society during the war era. The study sample consisted of 431 Palestinian adults, consisting of 112 men and 319 women, and were recruited using probabilistic convenience sampling methods in the region of historical Palestine territories. The study suggests a positive correlation between war-related political posts in social media (WRP-SM) with depression, stress, and anxiety and a negative correlation between resilience and mental health outcomes. Social support, resiliency, and religiosity mediated the correlation between war-related political posts on social media and mental health outcomes. The study identified substantial variations in mental health scores among Palestinians, with females displaying higher levels of depression, stress, anxiety, and overall mental health. Married individuals also reported higher resilience, social support, and religiosity scores. The findings highlight the need for mental health interventions for women, resilience building programs for single individuals.
- ItemIMPLEMENTING CYSTATIN C AS A BIOMARKER TO IMPROVE DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY IN CHRONIC KIDNEY DYSFUNCTION IN PALESTINE(An-Najah National University, 2025-02-05) Saleh, MalakBackground: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) continues to be a major threat to public wellness. Since the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is a reliable indicator of kidney function and the traditional direct measurement techniques are expensive and time-consuming, estimation GFR has emerged as the most widely used technique for estimating renal function using endogenous chemicals like creatinine. Nevertheless, the restriction of creatinine requires the use of alternative markers for timely and accurate diagnosis. Objectives: This study aimed to test cystatin C as a substitute biomarker for estimating GFR in CKD patients in Palestine and compare its efficacy to creatinine. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was performed between June and December, 2023 focuses on CKD patients from clinics or admitted to the Ramallah Governmental Hospital and Al-Watani Government Hospital in Nablus, Palestine. A total of 160 patients were included. Demographic, medical data were collected using structured questionnaires and hospital records. Creatinine and cystatin C levels were performed from plasma samples of patients. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS, employing Pearson's chi-square, with a p-value of less than 0.05, which was considered significant. Results: The study's findings suggest that cystatin C may offer a more reliable estimation of GFR compared to creatinine, with a higher stability. The equation that used both serum creatinine and cystatin C was better than the equations that used only one of these markers, as it minimized the independent limitation effect of both markers alone. Conclusion: Implementing cystatin C as a biomarker could enhance diagnostic accuracy for CKD, allowing for timely intervention and management, thereby improving patient outcomes and reducing healthcare costs associated with advanced renal failure. Further research is recommended to solidify these findings and promote the integration of cystatin C into routine clinical practice.