RESUMEN
This study aimed to assess the level of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PSTD) and to examine the relationship between exposure to war stress and posttraumatic symptoms among people who were injured during the Great March of Return (GMR) in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. A sample of 264 adults who were injured during participation in the events of GMR completed the Impact Event Scale-Revised (IES-R). IES-R has three sub-scales; intrusion, avoidance, and hyper-arousal. Only 27.3% of the participants had two or more injuries and 38.4% of participants reported having disability due to their injuries. The results showed that 95.4% of the participants had severe posttraumatic symptoms. Total score of IES-R ranged between 29 and 88 (mean = 61.28). The most frequent symptoms of trauma subscales was "Intrusion" (mean = 2.90), followed by "Avoidance" (mean = 2.73), and then "Hyper-arousal" (mean = 2.70). Level of PTSD was affected by working status, need for hospitalization, need for a referral for treatment outside the Gaza Strip, disability and severity of injury. Such high level of PSTD will have negative consequences on participants' physical and mental status. Therefore, a need for special counseling programs is required to help them to survive with least consequences of PTSD on their wellbeing.
Asunto(s)
Personas con Discapacidad , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático , Adulto , Árabes , Humanos , Medio Oriente , Políticas , Trastornos por Estrés Postraumático/psicologíaRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Maternal mortality is an important health indicator for the overall health of a population. This study assessed the causes and contributing factors to maternal mortality that occurred in the Gaza-Strip between July 2014 and June 2015. METHODS: This is a retrospective study that used both quantitative and qualitative data. The data were collected from available medical records, investigation reports, death certificates, and field interviews with healthcare professionals as well as families. RESULTS: A total of 18 maternal mortalities occurred in Gaza between 1st July 2014 and June 30th 2015. Age at time of death ranged from 18 to 44 years, with 44.4% occurring before the age of 35 years. About 22.2% were primiparous, while 55.6% were grand multiparous women. The most common causes of death were sepsis, postpartum haemorrhage, and pulmonary embolism. The most striking deficiency was very poor medical documentation which was observed in 17 cases (94%). In addition, poor communication between doctors and women and their families or among healthcare teams was noticed in nine cases (50%). These were repeatedly described by families during interviews. Further aspects surfacing in many interviews were distrust by families towards clinicians and poor understanding of health conditions by women. Other factors included socioeconomic conditions, poor antenatal attendance and the impact of the 2014 war. Low morale among medical staff was expressed by most interviewed clinicians, as well as the fear of being blamed by families and management in case of adverse events. Substandard care and lack of appropriate supervision were also found in some cases. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed deficiencies in maternity care, some of which were linked to the socioeconomic situation and the 2014 war. Others show poor implementation of clinical guidelines and lack of professional skills in communication and teamwork. Specialised training should be offered for clinicians in order to improve these aspects. However, the most striking deficiency was the extremely poor documentation, reflecting a lack of awareness among clinicians regarding its importance. Local policymakers should focus on systematic application of quality improvement strategies in order to achieve greater patient safety and further reductions in the maternal mortality rate.
Asunto(s)
Hemorragia Posparto/mortalidad , Embolia Pulmonar/mortalidad , Calidad de la Atención de Salud , Sepsis/mortalidad , Adolescente , Adulto , Conflictos Armados , Comunicación , Documentación/normas , Femenino , Humanos , Mortalidad Materna , Auditoría Médica , Cuerpo Médico de Hospitales/organización & administración , Cuerpo Médico de Hospitales/psicología , Medio Oriente , Moral , Grupo de Atención al Paciente/organización & administración , Embarazo , Atención Prenatal , Relaciones Profesional-Familia , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores Socioeconómicos , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
OBJECTIVES: We evaluated the long-term results of surgical treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures. METHODS: Fifteen male patients (mean age 39.5 years; range 28 to 58 years) underwent surgery for Achilles tendon ruptures. All the ruptures but one occurred during sport recreation. Eleven patients were treated within the first week of trauma. After surgery, a cast was applied for four weeks, after which it was switched to a polyethylene splint that did not allow dorsiflexion. Partial weight bearing was allowed in the fourth postoperative week. Subjective and objective evaluations were made according to the system by Thermann et al. Muscle strength was measured by an isokinetic dynamometer and gait analysis was performed. Data from the healthy sides were used for comparisons. The mean follow-up was 16.8 months (range 8 to 48 months). RESULTS: Seven patients (46.7%) had no pain, while six patients (40%), one patient (6.7%), and one patient complained of pain during heavy, medium, and light sports activities, respectively. Muscle strength did not decrease in nine patients (60%). Seven patients (46.7%) returned to preinjury activity levels. Twelve patients (80%) evaluated the outcome as very good or good. The mean muscle atrophy on the affected side was 0.43 cm. The overall results were very good or good in nine patients (60%), moderate in four patients (26.7%), and poor in two patients (13.3%). One patient had superficial infection and delayed healing. Isokinetic measurements showed decreased peak torque, and increased total work. By gait analysis, no significant relationship was found between the dorsiflexion and plantar flexion difference and forefoot ground reaction forces. CONCLUSION: Early surgical treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures followed by a shorter immobilization period is associated with satisfactory results, and in the long-term, with a higher rate of patient satisfaction.