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PubMed2006

Psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Dental Cognition Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVES: This study investigates the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Dental Cognitions Questionnaire (DCQ), especially evolved for the purpose. STUDY DESIGN: The DCQ was administered to a total of 1,266 Kuwait University undergraduate students, 348 males and 918 females, achieving high internal consistency (alpha = .87). RESULTS: Factor analysis resulted in the selection of eight factors each for males and females from the DCQ. The Arabic DCQ significantly and positively correlated with measures of dental fear (ADFI and DFS), dental anxiety (CDAS and DAST) and dental opinion (DO). Significant gender differences were observed with regard to 16 items of the DCQ. Overall, females showed greater DCQ believability than males. CONCLUSION: The DCQ correlates with dental fear more than dental anxiety. The study provides insights into factor structure of the Arabic Version of the DCQ, with significant correlation between scores on the DCQ and CDAS, suggesting that DCQ could be used as a reliable research tool.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Fluid loss and body composition of elite Kuwaiti soccer players during a soccer match.

AIM: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of the hot weather conditions of Kuwait on fluid loss (FL) and body composition of Kuwaiti soccer players. METHODS: During 5 preseason soccer games, 10 elite Kuwaiti soccer players participated in this study. The age and physical characteristics (mean+/-SD) of the subjects were: age 24+/-4.7 years; height 173.4+/-5.2 cm; mass 68.2+/-7 kg; and the percent body fat 12.3+/-3.7%, the mean temperature 45.4+/-2 degrees C, mean humidity was 23.6+/-4.2%. Measurements were taken at the beginning, half time, and the end of each game; FL was measured by body weight changes. Urine specific gravity was used to determine the state of hydration. Body composition was measured using Biodynamics Model 310e Body Composition Analyzer. RESULTS: There was a significant difference in body weight changes between 1st and 2nd half at P>0.05. The mean value of the FL at the end of the game was 3.1+/-1.4 L; indicating no significant difference in FL between 1st and 2nd half at P>0.05). The mean value urine specific gravity at the end game was 1.026+/-0.002; there was a significant difference between first, and second half for urine specific gravity (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Results of this study indicated that the subjects did not consume enough fluid to offset FL. Players and coaches involved with activities in hot humid environments should pay closer attention to FL and body weight changes which occur during physical activity. Special care should always be taken to insure players consume extra water prior to each training session or game.

Adipose Tissue↗
PubMed2006

Effect of xylitol candies on plaque and gingival indices in physically disabled school pupils.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of xylitol candies on plaque and gingival index scores on physically disabled school pupils in Kuwait. METHODOLOGY: Altogether 145 school pupils (105 in the xylitol group and 40 in the control group), with ages ranging from 10 to 27 years (mean age = 14.7 +/- 3.1 years), participated in this 18-month intervention program. The school health nurses distributed xylitol candies to the pupils three times during the school day. Plaque was scored according to the Silness and Löe Plaque Index, and gingivitis according to the Löe and Silness Gingival Index. RESULTS: The mean Plaque Index score decreased from 1.73 to 1.14 (p < 0.001), and the mean Gingival Index score from 1.74 to 1.16 (p < 0.001) in the study group. Significant differences were found between the xylitol and the control groups in the reduction of Plaque (p = 0.037) and Gingival Index scores (p = 0.008). There was high correlation between the individual Plaque and Gingival Index scores at baseline (r = 0.93) and at the final examinations (r = 0.95). CONCLUSION: Consuming xylitol candies three times during school days seemed to reduce both the Plaque and Gingival Index scores. This school-based delivery system offered a practical way to distribute and use xylitol candies among these disabled pupils. The regular use of xylitol candies may, therefore, support oral hygiene routines in disabled pupils.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Dietary habits of the primary to secondary school population and implications for oral health.

Surveys have shown increases in dental caries in young persons in Kuwait. Intake of sugar and carbohydrates has increased, as has the incidence of obesity. The objective of this study was to identify dietary practices and the potential for dental disease in primary, intermediate, and secondary school students in a health region. A random sample of 600 students aged 8, 13, and 17 yrs in 12 schools (6 boys' schools and 6 girls' schools) received a questionnaire. Responses were analyzed by age group, gender, and dietary practices at home and in school. The dietary composition of meals tended to be similar at all ages and in both genders. A total of 97% of 8-yr-old, 96% of 13-yr-old, and 92% of 17-yr-old students reported snacking at school. Sugar intake from identified snacks alone was calculated as 193.8 g/day or the estimated equivalent of 746 calories, and daily fat intake was 70.17 g. A total of 88.6% of respondents (56.6% of all children) used fluoridated toothpaste; 44.4% of all children (22.6% of 8-yr-old, 14.1% of 13-yr-old, and 7.7% of 17-yr-old students) reported brushing their teeth three times per day. Use of school snacks increased with age, while use of a toothbrush decreased. Fundamental oral hygiene procedures such as brushing and use of fluoridated toothpaste appear to have been implemented. Health workers need to provide new and pertinent oral health messages, nutrition counseling, attention to diet, and reinforcement with parents, food preparers, health facilities, and intermediate and secondary schools.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Patient satisfaction with hospital services: development and testing of a measuring instrument.

The present study was undertaken with the aim of developing and testing an instrument that could be used to measure patient satisfaction with hospital services in Kuwait. The instrument, which comprised 57 items, and measured satisfaction with 7 specific dimensions of hospital services, was administered to 493 patients using the interview technique. Statistical analysis showed that the instrument yields good response variability. Reliability of the instrument, measured in terms of the internal consistency coefficient alpha, exceeded the acceptable criterion level, the coefficients ranging between 0.73 and 0.86. Evidence of the construct validity of the instrument was found in significant positive correlation between the dimension specific satisfaction scale scores and scores for allegiance scale and for overall rating of quality of hospital services. Construct validity was further supported by convergent discriminant analysis, which showed that correlations between items of all 7 scales and their total scale scores were greater than correlations between scale items and the total scores of scales they do not represent. Analysis of an open-ended question about dissatisfying aspects of hospital services not included on the interview was undertaken to examine the instrument's content validity. Results indicated that patients identified 11 items, 8 of which were identified more than once, and 2 of which were not classifiable to the 7 dimensions assessed by the instrument. It was suggested to add the 8 items that were identified more than once, and to reassess the reliability and validity of the revised instrument. Assessment of the test-retest reliability, by comparing scale scores over time, was also suggested.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1990

Dental knowledge, attitudes and behavior among Kuwaiti mothers and school teachers.

In one region in the state of Kuwait children in first grade have been offered a systematic dental health care program. The purpose of this study was to assess (1) dental knowledge, attitudes, and health behavior among the mothers of children in first grade, and (2) dental knowledge and attitudes of schoolteachers, and their involvement in health education. Before the children were enrolled in the program 187 mothers (response 76%) were interviewed. Self-administered questionnaires were used to collect data on schoolteachers (n = 135, response 695). Most of the mothers (74%) answered that dental caries is caused by sweets/candy; the role of bacteria was mentioned by 9%. Half of the mothers were aware of the harmful effect of sugary drinks, and 50% knew about the preventive effect of fluoride. Knowledge about causes and prevention of periodontal disease was diffuse. According to the mothers, 68% of the children were in need for dental treatment; 37% were seen by a dentist once a year for symptomatic reasons, and 49% brushed their teeth at least twice a day. Sixteen-percent of the mothers helped their child in brushing every day. Sugar consumption among mothers and children was high, e.g. 66% of the children had chocolate bars and 44% had soft drinks several times a day. The level of dental knowledge was higher among teachers than mothers; the mothers were mostly informed through television/radio, while teachers had received information from various sources, including the dentists. The teachers responded positively to prevention of dental diseases among children and should be considered key persons in dental health education. For the Kuwaiti children and the mothers the active involvement principle, group presentations, and one-to-one communications are recommended for the school based dental health program.

Adult↗
PubMed1990

Childhood shigellosis: clinical and bacteriological study.

Ninety-three children with shigellosis were hospitalized in a regional hospital in Kuwait during the year 1988. S. flexneri was the most common isolate (54%) followed by S. sonnei (39%) and S. boydii (7%). In addition to the gastrointestinal manifestations, 14 patients (15%) developed generalized convulsions. The benign and self-limiting nature of the convulsions associated with shigellosis means that neither diagnostic procedure nor drug therapy are usually necessary. The disease was self-limiting in 41% and antimicrobial usage did not seem to shorten the duration of symptoms or hospital stay. All shigellae isolated were sensitive to gentamicin and amikacin, 56% were resistant to three or more antimicrobial agents, 32 were resistant to five or more. These findings may indicate the need for better control of antibiotic use, particularly in developing countries.

Amikacin↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Histocompatibility antigens (A, B, C, and DR) in Arabs with rheumatoid arthritis.

Eighty-five Arab patients in Kuwait with classical and definite rheumatoid arthritis were typed to examine the frequency of HLA-A, B, C, and DR antigens. The results showed a significant increase in the frequency of HLA-A10, B8, B21, and DR3 antigens when compared to an age- and sex-matched control population. HLA-DR3 was present in 34 per cent of the patients compared with 2 per cent of the controls (p less than 0.001). The association of RA in the Arab population with HLA-DR3 rather than HLA-DR4 or HLA-DR1 as reported in other ethnic groups emphasizes further the complexity of the genetics of RA.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed1990

Revaccination with BCG: its effects on skin tests in Kuwaiti senior school children.

Following a policy of BCG vaccination adopted in Kuwait more than 20 yrs ago, children receive their first vaccination just before starting school. Those who have a response of less than 10 mm induration to 2 tu of RT23 PPD, when they are 13 yrs old, are revaccinated. The effects of this revaccination on skin test positivity in a group of 18 yr old senior school children have been investigated. In a random study group 23% were found to have received BCG a second time. Revaccination resulted in a significant increase in positivity to tuberculin, and to the other 6 reagents tested, that was much more than would have been expected due to the passage of time alone in low responders. Scars of the second BCG vaccination were larger than those after the first vaccination, and showed a sex difference, with scars being significantly larger in boys than in girls. Boys also tended to show the largest responses to skin tests, with the notable exception of tuberculin to which girls showed the largest response. In most cases responses to skin tests were larger after revaccination than after a single vaccination. Based on this study, it is impossible to be sure that revaccination improved protective immunity, but the increase in tuberculin responsiveness, and recognition of environmental mycobacterial species may be indirect evidence supporting this conclusion.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Enumeration of Pseudomonas species and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteriophages in domestic sewage.

Domestic sewage in Kuwait is mainly treated by an activated sludge process. Pseudomonas species were enumerated at all steps of sewage treatment. About 98-99% reduction in the number of these bacterial species were found in the treated effluent compared with raw sewage, which indicates a rather efficient removal of Pseudomonas from sewage. Spherical tail-less phages of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were found in all sewage samples. About 25-85% of the total phages encountered with the raw sewage were retained in the treated effluents. Seasonal variations of Pseudomonas spp and P. aeruginosa phages in two treatment stations are reported.

Bacteriophages↗
PubMed1989

Morbidity and mortality of bacterial meningitis in Arab children.

Between September 1981 and March 1987, 92 episodes of bacterial meningitis in 90 children were treated in three major hospitals in Kuwait. The diagnosis was bacteriologically confirmed in 80 (87%). Haemophilus influenzae was the most common aetiological organism and accounted for 42 episodes (45.6%) followed by Streptococcus pneumoniae in 21 (22.8%) and Neisseria meningitidis in only three (3.3%). Bacterial meningitis occurred in 53 children (57.6%) below the age of 1 year and in 81 (88%) below 5 years. The overall case fatality rate was 5.4% and ten children (9%) had severe neurological sequelae of their disease. Sequelae were more common following pneumococcal meningitis (28%) than after Haemophilus (7%). All 12 children with unknown pathogen recovered completely.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Human gnathostomiasis: infection with an immature male Gnathostoma spinigerum.

Gnathostomiasis, usually caused by larvae of Gnathostoma spinigerum, is a significant cause of morbidity in the Far East. We report a case of gnathostomiasis involving a male Thai residing in Kuwait who presented with acute pain in the right iliac fossa. A resection of the terminal ileum and cecum was performed. Microscopic examination showed a parasite in an eosinophilic abscess. The nematode was identified as an immature male G. spinigerum based on size, morphology, and distribution of cuticular spines.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Comparative study of skin wound closure with polybutester (Novafil) and polypropylene.

A prospective study of skin wound closure using polybutester (Novafil) and polypropylene was carried out in 100 elective procedures in 77 patients over a 1-year period at the Plastic Surgery Unit of Mubarak Al Kabeer Hospital, Kuwait. In this comparative study based on clinical evaluation, particular note was made of the handling characteristics of the suture material, wound infection, healing and eventual scar in each case. The tensile strength of both sutures was comparable and the wound infection rate and wound healing characteristics in the two groups were more or less the same. Our study has shown Novafil to be a superior suture for skin wound closure because of its handling qualities, easier removal from the healed wound and because of a cosmetically better scar in a significant number of patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Comparative study of culture, direct immunofluorescent antibody test and enzyme immunoassay for the diagnosis of urogenital infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis.

We studied three population groups (161 symptomatic female, 62 asymptomatic female and 74 symptomatic male) to determine the prevalence of genital tract infections caused by Chlamydia trachomatis in Kuwait. Three techniques, viz. tissue culture, direct immunofluorescent antibody test (MicroTrak) and enzyme immunoassay (Chlamydiazyme) were employed for the detection of C. trachomatis. The overall positivity based on positive tissue culture in symptomatic cases was 16.2% (17.4% in female and 13.5% in male). The two rapid methods for antigen detection were compared with tissue culture. Based on a positivity criterion of greater than 10 elementary bodies in the direct immunofluorescent antibody assay, sensitivity and specificity of the test were 66.7% and 97.2% while the positive and negative predictive values were 77.8% and 97.2% respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the enzyme immunoassay were 61.3% and 96.7% with positive and negative predictive values of 80.8% and 94.6% respectively. There was an agreement of 92.0% between the three tests. The two rapid antigen detection tests seem to be similar and provide an alternative for diagnosing Chlamydia trachomatis in our patients.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1988

The value of computed tomography in the diagnostics of recurrent rectal tumors.

Computed tomography as a noninvasive X-ray method offers new facilities for detecting and diagnosing recurrences after surgical treatment of rectal carcinomas. In a comparative study the CT findings of 14 patients with recurrent rectal tumors of the Kuwait Cancer Control Center and of 77 patients of the Central Institute for Cancer Research in Berlin-Buch/GDR were reviewed. CT is of high sensitivity and specificity for the detection and the extent diagnosis of recurrent rectal tumors and is helpful in taking the appropriate therapeutic decision (surgery, radiotherapy). CT examination becomes mandatory for the postoperative follow-up and further assessment.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗
PubMed1987

Comparative evaluation for pollens and mite extract skin tests.

A study of 105 subjects with a history of atopy was conducted. The skin test was used as screening method and the specific IgE as reference test. The results of the mite extract skin test were compared with those of pollens. For the same degree of skin reactivity, the relationship between the skin test and the specific IgE was highly significant for pollens (p less than 0.0005) but not for mite extract. Skin cross-reactivity between the mite extracts was highly significant (p less than 0.0005), and between the mite extracts and house dust extract (p less than 0.005). Reactivity against house dust and mite extracts was different (p less than 0.01) between the citizens and non-citizens suggesting inherent differences in the mite fauna of Kuwait. The most useful parameter for evaluating the results of the skin test was found to be the predictive value of a positive test.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

HLA associations in an Arab type 1 diabetic population.

We have studied HLA-A, -B, -C, -DR, and -DQ antigen frequencies in 63 Type 1 diabetic Arab patients resident in Kuwait. Both HLA-DR3 (relative risk (RR) = 5.80) and -DR4 (RR = 2.87) showed positive associations with Type I diabetes mellitus in these patients whilst -DR2 (RR 0.16) and -DR5 (RR = 0.15) were negatively associated. The strong positive association with both HLA-DR3 and -DR4 was confirmed in Non-Gulf Arabs (RR = 12.55 and 4.29, respectively) whereas the Gulf Arabs had a significant positive association with HLA-DR3 (RR = 4.41) only. The disease was negatively associated with HLA-DR2 (RR = 0.05) in Gulf Arab patients only and with HLA-DR5 (RR = 0.10) in Non-Gulf Arabs only. HLA-DRw52 and -DRw53 were increased in Non-Gulf Arabs only (RR = 3.14 and 4.63, respectively). In both groups there was strong association with HLA-DQ3 (Gulf, RR = 28.11; Non-Gulf, RR = 6.25). Amongst HLA-A, -B, and -C loci, there was a positive association with HLA-B8 (RR = 19.06).

Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1↗
PubMed1980

Evidence for genetic control of nondisjunction in man.

Data on factors associated with the occurrence of Down syndrome in a highly inbred population were evaluated to investigate the presence of a genetic control of nondisjunction in man. In Kuwait, close consanguinity occurs in 40% of marriages. In its main obstetric hospital, 20 trisomic Down babies out of 11,614 singleton births were delivered over a 12-month period. Chi-square analyses indicate the occurrence of Down syndrome to be linked to two independent factors: consanquinity of parents and maternal age. The relative risk is approximately four times greater for closely related than for nonrelated parents (P less than .005); a possible explanation for this is the existence of a gene that induces mitotic nondisjunction in the homozygous fertilized ovum. An alternative explanation is the existence of an autosomal recessive gene which results in meiotic nondisjunction in the homozygous parents. Consanguinity is usually perpetuated in certain families, or sections of the population, and parents in highly inbred families have a higher probability to be homozygotes for that gene.

Adult↗