Huda Ghazi Hameed Almashhadi

Abstract Objective: To determine the prevalence of exclusive and continued breastfeeding in an urban setting, and the factors influencing the choice. Method: The cross-sectional study was conducted from February 1 to August 30, 2018, in Najaf, Iraq, and comprised children aged up to 2 years from 12 randomly selected primary healthcare centres. Data were collected using a predesigned questionnaire that had three parts covering the mother, the child and the demographic variables. Data was analysed using SPSS 20. Results: Of the 373 subjects, 209(56.0%) were males. The overall mean age was 8.8± 6.2 months (range: 1-23 months), while the mean age of the mothers was 26.5±5.8 years (range: 15-46 years). Children aged <6 months were 169(45.3%), and, among them, exclusive breastfeeding was found in 66(39.1%) cases. There was significant relationship between exclusive breastfeeding and feeding of other siblings (p=0.001), admission to hospital (p=0.02), family support (p=0.009), husband's support (p=0.007). Child sickness in early life also had significant association with exclusive breastfeeding (p<0.05). Conclusions: The prevalence of exclusive breastfeeding was found within the reported estimate for low- and middle-income countries, but much lower than the World Health Organisation recommendation. Keywords: Exclusive breastfeeding, Breastfeeding, Determinants, Breastfeeding continuation, Iraq.

ABSTRACT Introduction: Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption and skeletal growth, and deficiency of vitamin D can cause nutritional rickets. Although considered a historical disease after the advent of vitamin D fortification of foods, rickets persists worldwide, typically in un supplemented exclusively breastfed infants. The aim of study to assess maternal knowledge about vitamin D supplementation to their infants and the relation of maternal knowledge about vitamin D to sociodemographic factors for both mother and infant. Method: A descriptive analytic cross sectional study, conducted at five primary health care centers in Babylon city from first of February 2020 until first of February 2021. 383 mothers of infants under six months attending primary health care centers for routine vaccination and follow up of their infants were included in the study. Questionnaire-based study was used. A scoring system was designed for knowledge. Statistical analyses were done using SPSS version 26. Chi square test and multinomial logistic regression test were used to show the association between knowledge, mother and infant variables. Results: The results showed that (43.3%) and (31.9%) of participants had fair and good knowledge about vitamin D respectively. Only (42.8%) of infants received vitamin D supplements. The good knowledge was significantly associated with younger age mothers and mixed infant feeding (P value ≤ 0.05). While there was no association with occupation, residence, socioeconomic states, educational level of mothers. The main source of information about vitamin D was the health staff (44.13%). Conclusion: The study revealed that the overall knowledge about vitamin D is good. KEYWORDS: Knowledge, vitamin D supplementation, preference

SUMMARY. Thyroid malignancy has varied prevalence worldwide; it’s believed that multinodular goiter (MNG) is associated with a lower risk of malignancy compared to solitary thyroid nodules (STN). The aims of this study are to determine the incidence of malignancy in multinodular goiter (MNG) versus solitary thyroid nodule (STN) and the sub-types of malignant condition in a series of Iraqi patients with goiter. This study was carried out in the department of general surgery in Alsader Medical city, Al Najaf , Iraq by determine the incidence and the types of malignancy through the histopathological reports of 181 patients, whom went for thyroidectomy for multinodular goiter (MNG) and solitary thyroid nodule (STN) over 1-year from November 2018 to November 2019. The results show 29 patients out of 140 patients of MNG (20.7%) and 18 out of 41 patients of STN (43.9%) were associated with malignancy and the difference was statistically significant. Papillary thyroid carcinoma was the commonest malignancy observed in both study groups. The study concludes thatthe thyroid cancer was significantly less frequent in multinodular goiter as compared with single nodule. FTC is more frequent in STN as compared to MNG. Male gender and age were considered as a risk factor for malignancy.

ABSTRACT Prostatic median lobe invasion inside the urinary bladder of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients represent Intravesical prostatic protrusion(IPP) and is related to bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and lower urinary tract symptoms(LUTS).Sixty-three male patients with BPH and LUTS were assessed by symptoms,by urodynamic study(UDS) for bladder outlet obstruction index(BOOI) measurement,and by trans-abdominal ultrasound(TAUS) for measurement of prostatic volume(PV),IPP,and post-void residual volume(PVRV).Patients with PV more than 40mL and IPP more than 10mm were analyzed for presence of BOO.BOOI was observed to have higher correlation with IPP and PV compared to other variables, such as PVRV.IPP exhibited higher sensitivity (81.6%) than PV (55.28%). Both variables exhibited identical specificity 40%; however, PPV and NPV for IPP were 67.4% and 58.8%, respectively, while PV showed PPV and NPV of 58.33% and 37%, respectively.In male patients, BPH,LUTS, and BOO are associated with high PV and IPP. Assessment of IPP and PV during routine TAUS can predict BOO, which could help avoid invasive UDS.

Background: Patient satisfaction is one of the major outcomes used in many countries to assess the quality of healthcare. Aim of the study: To assess the patient satisfaction towards health services in Al-Qaim city and its suburbs. Methodology: The researchers formulated a questionnaire, write them down in Google form Application and then questionnaires were reviewed by two experts. After that the link was sent disseminated to people residing at Al-qaim city. Two weeks later the researchers stopped looking for responses and spreadsheet was sent for statistical analysis. Results: The overall findings of this study revealed that 75% of respondents were unsatisfied with healthcare services. Conclusion: looking for patients’ satisfaction is of paramount importance in the process of improving the quality of health services. Plans have to be put to improve quality care through improving patient satisfaction. Recommendations: Health policymakers should adopt a multidisciplinary approach in order to increase the clients’ satisfaction rate. Key Words: Patients' satisfaction, Health care services, Physicians, Nurses, Pharmacists.

Abstract Background: Violence against teachers is a significant yet under-investigated problem in Iraq that has profound implications for schooling, teacher retention and overall student performance. Objectives: The study aims to shed light on the prevalence of Workplace violence against primary and secondary schools teachers in Al-Najaf Al- Ashraf city and to identify some associated factors.

A course was held at the College of Medicine/University of Kufa on the statistical analysis program for the period from 4/21 to 4/25/2024, in which Professor Dr. Huda Ghazi Hameed participated, which included theoretical and practical lectures on the program. The application of the program witnessed wide participation from other university colleges in addition to Iraqi universities. .

college of medicine will hold a critical appraisal skills program course from 15-19/9/2019

The Family and Community Medicine department held a critical appraisal training course for the period from 27 to 31 of January, which included master, PhD students and their supervisors.

The Family and Community Medicine department will hold a critical appraisal skill training course for graduate students and their supervisors in mid-September