IRAQI JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY MEDICINE

Background: Medical students repeatedly experience different stresses which made them more vulnerable to psychological
problems that may affect their emotional, psychosocial, physical and academic performance.
Objectives: To determine the rate of anxiety and depression among medical students in Al- Mustansiriyah University. Find
out the influence of gender, school year and some life events on the likelihood of development anxiety and
depression.
Subjects and method: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Al- Mustansiriyah University, College of Medicine from
1st of March to 10th of May 2015. The study sample comprises 300 students from all the six school years. Selfadministered questioners were used for data collection. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale (HADS), was
used to assess the presence of anxiety and depression among the students enrolled in the study.
Results: The study results showed that the overall rates of anxiety and depression with various degrees among students were
(77%, 61.6%) respectively. Male students had higher overall rate of anxiety (80.1%) than the females’ students
(74.86%), while the female students had higher overall rate of depression (64.2%) than the male) 57.85%).
The highest score of anxiety was observed among third year's students (54.4%), as compared to other school years,
while higher score for depression was recorded among the first-year students (23.1%).
Students who were failed in last academic year were more prone for both depression and anxiety. Those who were
displacing from their homes were more likely to be depressed.
Conclusion: A considerable part of Al- Mustansiriyah College of Medicine students were suffering from psychological
disorders (anxiety and depression).

Background: osteoporosis is being reported as a major cause of morbidity among elderly individuals worldwide. Health professionals
are the key link in the chain of multidisciplinary approach to the management of this potentially preventable disease and
educating patients about the various aspects of its evaluation and management.
Objective: To assess the level of Knowledge among women work at AL-Fallujah Teaching Hospital regarding osteoporosis.
Methodology: This was a descriptive cross sectional study included 359 women working at Al-Fallujah Teaching Hospital using self-
administrated questionnaire as well as fact on osteoporosis quiz (FOOQ). All participants were asked to answer the
questionnaire without disclosing their identity after their approval to participate in this study. Demographics data and
mean score on the Fact On Osteoporosis Quiz (FOOQ) were summarized by using a descriptive measures.
Result: A total of 214 out of 359 women returned the questionnaires (response rate was 60%).
The overall mean score in general among studied group was 13.47out of twenty. The study showed that the health workers
have good-moderate in general knowledge as well as for preventive measures, but they have acceptable-poor knowledge
regarding risk factors and treatment.
Conclusion: This study highlights the Fact that knowledge about osteoporosis among health workers in Al-Fallujah Teaching Hospital
was insufficient.

Background: First-Aid is the assessments and interventions that can be performed by medic (or by the injured person)
immediately with minimal or no medical equipment. Training is necessary to equip the First-Aid provider with the
knowledge, skill and confidence to attend to an emergency.
Objectives:-to assess the knowledge and practices of primary school teachers in Hay Al-Salaam Al-Sakani about the
First-Aid.
Method: A Cross section study with analytic element, conducted in Baghdad during the period from February - August
2018. Eight schools were choose randomly, 145 teachers who were work in choosing schools and accept to involve in
this study. Questionnaire structured depending on The Iraqi-Red-Crescent guideline for First-Aid, & American
college of emergency physician's First-Aid manual.
Result: one hundred and forty five teachers involved in this study, 44.1% aged 40-49y, most of them females (93.8%),
graduated institute (63.4%), married (77.9%), had one-three child, (65.5%), had 11-18y teaching experience (30.3%).
Only 30.3% applied First-Aid previously, most of the teachers (71%) do not involved in First-Aid training courses.
Teachers age had statistically significant with First-Aid general-knowledge, knowledge about poisoning, fractures
and burn. Their educational level had statistically significant with knowledge about coma, epilepsy, fractures, mouth
injuries and burn.
Conclusion: First-Aid knowledge in general and in each type of school accident was good except knowledge in asphyxia
and electric shock were fair knowledge; Most of them not involved in First- Aid training courses, or did it.

Background: Thyroid hormones are important modulator of intermediary metabolism. They affect synthesis,
mobilization and degradation of lipids, although degradation is influenced more than synthesis. Serum
ferritin levels also have been reported to be altered in patients with thyroid disease.
Objective: The present study aim to explore the association of lipid profile with serum ferritin in patients with
thyroid disorder.
Patients and Methods: In this study One hundred forty subjects were selected from outpatient department of the
National Diabetes center/ AL-Mustansiriyah University. Serum Ferritin, free triiodothyronin, free
tetraiodothyronin, thyroid stimulating hormone and lipid profile were measured.
Results: Non-significant differences of serum cholesterol, triglyceride, High density lipoprotein, Low density
lipoprotein and very Low density lipoprotein level in hypothyroid, hyperthyroid and euthyroid groups were
observed. The serum ferritin levels indicate significant increase in hypothyroidism in comparison to their
levels in both other groups ( hyperthyroidism and euthyroid). Meanwhile a significant increase of serum
ferritin was observed in hyperthyroidism in comparison to that level of euthyroid group. Ferritin level was
found to be negatively high correlated with lipid profile in hypothyroidism , TSH was also negatively
correlated with ferritin level.In hyperthyroidism group ferritinl evel was high correlated positively with
FT4 while a highly significant positive correlation of ferritin with FT3 was observed in euthyroidgroup.
Conclution: Conclude that the lipid profile in thyroid disorder patients are various according to ferritin level

Background: Occupational stress is involved in the development of hypertension and there are different numbers
of studies examined the occupational stress aspects including job insecurity, strain and control,
satisfaction, work hours, and perceived dissatisfaction.
Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of hypertension among female physicians, to identify associations between
occupational stress and hypertensive status and to evaluate socio-demographic characteristics in female
physicians.
Methods: Cross-sectional study was conducted on 600 female physicians in Baghdad and Al-Imamein AlKadhimaein Medical Cities, through the period March 15th till August 15th 2019.The study tools used
were calibrated mercury sphygmomanometer to measure the blood pressure, Occupational Stress Index
Scoring System was used to measure severity of occupational stress and structural questions sociodemographic data for (age, body mass index, marital state, number of children, number years of work,
work hours/week, physician's specialty categories).
Results: The study showed that the prevalence of hypertension was 30%, mean age 37.74 years ± 6.7 years. High
stress level was higher among surgical/anesthetic department. The occurrence of hypertension and age,
BMI, marital state, number years of work, work hours/week of the present study showed significant
relationship between them but number of children showed inversely relationship.
Conclusions: Nearly two third of participants with high occupational stress had hypertension.

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes have been shown to be differently distributed between distinct
geographical areas. Information's regarding hepatitis C genotypes and subtypes distribution in Al-Nasiriya
city are not well known.
Objectives: The objectives of this study were to determine the frequency of various HCV genotypes in AlNasiriya city and the demographic and the risk factors associated with HCV transmission among Al-Nasiriya
city population.
Methods: Blood samples were collected from 200 patients with chronic HCV infection who were referred from
Al-Nasiriya city to the digestive disease department of Al-Yarmouk Hospital during the period from
February 2019 to December 2020. Patients were screened for HCV antibodies using an enzyme‑linked
immunosorbent assay test. Quantitation of the HCV viral load and genotype were assessed using polymerase
chain reaction (PCR).
Results: This study revealed that the most common HCV genotype was 1a (HCV-1a) with rate of 63% while
(HCV-1d) showed 1.5% and (HCV-4) was 35.5% . Also the frequency of infection among females was more
than males as (37.5% and 25.5%) respectively, while hemodialysis process among other transmission risk
factors, increase transmission of HCV-1a infection.
Conclusions: HCV-1a is the most predominance genotype in these patients, with more prevalent in female than
male over 20 years old and hemodialysis is the most risk factor in their transmission.