Eman Mohamed Mahfouz

Background: Cross-cultural studies studying work-family conflicts (W_F_Cs) are scarce. We compared the prevalence of W_F_Cs, factors correlated with them, and their association with self-rated health between Japan and Egypt. Methods: Among 4862 Japanese and 3111 Egyptian civil workers recruited by a convenience sample in 2018/2019 and reported self-rated health status, we assessed the W_F_Cs by the Midlife Development in the US (MIDUS) and attributed them to sociodemographic, family, and work variables. We also evaluated the W_F_Cs’ gender- and country-specific associations with self-rated health by logistic regression analyses. Results: W_F_Cs were more prevalent in Egyptian than in Japanese women (23.7% vs. 18.2%) and men (19.1% vs. 10.5%), while poor self-rated health was more prevalent in Japanese than Egyptians (19.3% and 17.3% vs. 16.9% and 5.5%). Longer working hours, shift work, and overtime work were positively associated with stronger work-to-family conflict (WFC). Whereas being single was inversely associated with stronger family-to-work conflict (FWC). Living with children, fathers, or alone in Japan while education in Egypt was associated with these conflicts. The OR (95% CI) for poor self-reported health among those with the strong, in reference to weak total W_F_Cs, was 4.28 (2.91–6.30) and 6.01 (4.50–8.01) in Japanese women and men and was 2.46 (1.75–3.47) and 3.11 (1.67–5.80) in Egyptian women and men. Conclusions: Japanese and Egyptian civil workers have different prevalence and correlated factors of W_F_Cs and self-rated health. W_F_Cs were associated in a dose–response pattern with poor-self-rated health of civil workers in both countries.

Cigarette smoking remains the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death, killing more than 8 million people a year around the world. Young adults and youths are the vulnerable group which the smoking companies focus on their markets. University students have higher risk to develop smoking habit because they start showing independency; friends have great influence on their behaviours, seeking attraction and popularity as well as being exposed to great social and emotional stresses. This study is conducted to Detect of smoking prevalence among university students, smoking influencing factors and to assess smoking index and its determining factors. This cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students in Minia University, Minia, Egypt, during the period from March–to May, 2019 among 714 students; (426 from Faculty of Medicine and 288 from faculty of Arts and social sciences), using a self-administered questionnaire which include demographic characteristics including age, gender, type of college, study grade, nationality, family structure, socio-economic status and residence status.

Objectives to examine the Egyptians’ behavioral changes with its determinants towards the COVID-19 pandemic and evaluate the Egyptians’ perception of the governmental response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent information, preventive and control measures applied by the Egyptian health authorities. Study design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: An online survey was sent to the Egyptian population via all available means of online communication. Beside the socio-demographic information, the questionnaire intended to assess the behavioral changes and participants’ perception of the COVID-19 pandemic and the public health preventive and control measures towards it. Results: Frequent hand washing with soap and water was the most frequent preventive measure adopted by the participants (84.3%), followed by avoiding crowded public places (83.1%). Nearly two thirds of Egyptian participants (65.2%) stated that the role played by authorities is suboptimal in the containment process of COVID-19 pandemic and almost half of them (49.8%) perceived that the rates notified and declared by the health authority as inaccurate. Worries about the COVID-19 pandemic was the most important determinant for adopting protective behavior. Conclusions: The majority of Egyptian participants adopted and complied with certain specific protective measures against COVID-19 pandemic. Residence, having enough knowledge and worries about COVID19 and being in a potential exposure to COVID-19 infection were significantly and positively influencing the protective behavior of the participants. Keywords: Behavioral change, COVID-19, pandemic, worries, Egyptian population

Background: Family caregivers are critical partners in the plan of care of people with disabilities. The study aims to demonstrate the factor structure and internal consistency of the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI) among the studied caregivers of disabled persons and to determine the effects of patients’ and caregivers’ characteristics on the burden and its dimensions.Methods: A cross-sectional study among 260 family caregivers of disabled patients was carried out in a randomly chosen rural area, Minia, Egypt, 2019. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to determine the factorial validity of the CBI. Multiple linear regression was used to identify the significant factors affecting the burden.Results: Factor analysis resulted in a five-factor solution using 20 items (four for each dimension) accounting for 72.7% of the total variance. The CBI and its dimensions showed high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha value > 0.70). Education of caregiver, family income, mental impairments, and mixed disabilities were significant predictors of total CBI burden.Conclusions: CBI is an effective multidimensional measure of the caregiver burden of disabled subjects. Caregivers experienced a distinct level of burden that is determined by caregiver and care recipient characteristics. Therefore, support and individualized counseling services should be optimized.

Background: Work engagement has emerged as a key tool for ensuring patient safety and care quality. This study aimed to examine nurses’ perception of work engagement, to identify factors influencing nurses’ engagement with their work and to determine factors predicting job performance and turnover intention in multiple hospitals. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 535 nurses from three hospitals with different affiliation types in Minia, Egypt in a period from December 2018 to Jan 2019 who answered Utrecht work engagement scale (UWES-9), Job resources, job performance and Turnover intention questionnaire. Results: The composite mean of work engagement was 4.4 (SD 1.3). About 54% of nurses reported high/very high work engagement levels. Work place, availability of motives and incentives and ability to make decisions (autonomy) were significant predictor of high work engagement levels among nurses. Work engagement accounted for a significant increment in explained variance in job performance and turnover intention (ß = 0.14 and −0.41) respectively. Conclusion and Recommendations: More than half of nurses are dedicated to their work. It is necessary for them to have the needed resources, supportive environments, and performance feedback in order to balance between work demands and the feeling of ‘fulfillment' and reduced turnover rates.

Female genital cutting, also termed female genital mutilation (FGM), is a damaging practice with no health benefits for girls or women, and is considered to be a violation of children’s rights. A cross-sectional, community-based study using interview administered questionnaire to explore knowledge and attitude of people living in a rural area in Minia. Systematic random sampling was used to interview 618 males and females above the age of 18 in the period from September to November 2016. FGM was performed on 76.6% of females, complications occurred in 35.6% of them. Females demonstrated a higher level of knowledge than males. Nearly 56% of respondents believed that this practice should continue. Females were more supportive of the continuation of FGM than men (60.3% vs. 47.9%). The attitude that FGM is a good practice, knowledge level, women’s status and religion were significantly associated with women’s willingness to subject their daughters to FGM in the future. Attitude was the only significant predictor associated with men’s willingness to subject their daughters to FGM. The strong correlation between social pressure and intentions to carry out FGM means that FGM practice will continue to be embraced among future generations unless policies are put in place to eradicate this practice through empowering females by education and reasonable income.

Background: This study aimed to examine the relationship between mothers' knowledge related to treatment management of type 1 diabetes (T1D), with perceptions of coping with diabetes-related stress and to examine the relationship between children's metabolic control and maternal coping. A cross-sectional study was done among ninety-two mothers of T1D children. Methods: Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, Ways of coping questionnaire (WCQ), and Diabetes Knowledge questionnaire-24 (DKQ-24). Results: The most important predictors of the total knowledge scores among mothers were father education (P < 0.0001), followed by child age and sex (P < 0.0001), while the most important coping scales affected by total knowledge scores was accepting responsibility (P = 0.01). There were positive correlation between HBA1C and escape-avoidance and positive reappraisal coping scales (r = 0.24, P = 0.02 and r = 0.23, P = 0.02, respectively). Blood glucose level was the most important clinical characteristics affecting the use of seeking social support coping scale among mothers. Conclusions: Parents with more knowledge of diabetes and with better education were able to cope more effective and maintain a better glycemic control of their diabetic children.

Background: Pancreatic cancer is considered one of the most lethal malignant neoplasms. Therefore, a better understanding of the etiology and identifying the risk factors are essential for the development of preventive strategies. Methods: This case-control study included pancreatic cancer patients attending Minia Cancer Center during the period from June 2014 to December 2015 and controls from the general population. Several suspected risk factors were evaluated during personal interviews with the study participants. Statistical analysis included crude odds ratio (OR) and multivariable logistic regression with an adjusted OR and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: The study included 224 subjects, 75 pancreatic cancer cases, and 149 controls. Cases had higher age and male gender than controls. Bivariate analyses showed that age, sex, smoking, family history of pancreatic cancer, physical activity, mental stress, age at first birth, hormonal contraception, diabetes, hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, pancreatitis, and cholecystitis were associated with pancreatic cancer. In the final multivariable analysis, smoking, physical activity, diabetes, HCV infection, and cholecystitis were significantly associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Conclusions: Pancreatic cancer risk is associated with some potentially modifiable factors like tobacco smoking and low physical activity and related health problems as diabetes, HCV infection, and cholecystitis. Control of known risk factors for pancreatic cancer should be considered to help in risk reduction and prevention.