Schizophrenia can devastate the lives of people who suffer from it. People with schizophrenia suffer distress, disability, reduced productivity and decreased quality of life (QOL). The concept of quality of life has evolved considerably over the last decades. The interest in studying quality of life of persons with schizophrenia started as concern was increasing about the role played by those patients in the community. A conceptual model has recently been described which suggests that the major determinants of quality of life in schizophrenia are symptom severity, level of psychosocial functioning, and the presence of medication side effects. The aim of this work is to determine the relationship between clinical characteristics and quality of life of schizophrenic patients. The study was carried out at the psychiatric outpatient clinics of EI Maamoura hospital for Psychiatric Medicine and Assiut University Hospital. The study included 150 patients diagnosed according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria of schizophrenic disorder. The data were collected by using an interview schedule to elicit information about socio-demographic & clinical characteristics of schizophrenic patients, the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (P ANSS). The study showed that poor quality of life was affected by the time lapse since last hospital discharge, as well as by the period of untreated psychosis, the severity of all psychotic symptoms, and the medications' side effects. Recommendation: Psychosocial rehabilitation programs should be performed in outpatient clinics, immediately after discharge from psychiatric hospital. Such programs can help patients build up social and cognitive skills and making them more able to deal with ongoing stressors in the community.

Schizophrenia can devastate the lives of people who suffer from it. People with schizophrenia suffer distress, disability, reduced productivity and decreased quality of life (QOL). The concept of quality of life has evolved considerably over the last decades. The interest in studying quality of life of persons with schizophrenia started as concern was increasing about the role played by those patients in the community. A conceptual model has recently been described which suggests that the major determinants of quality of life in schizophrenia are symptom severity, level of psychosocial functioning, and the presence of medication side effects. The aim of this work is to determine the relationship between clinical characteristics and quality of life of schizophrenic patients. The study was carried out at the psychiatric outpatient clinics of EI Maamoura hospital for Psychiatric Medicine and Assiut University Hospital. The study included 150 patients diagnosed according to the DSM-IV diagnostic criteria of schizophrenic disorder. The data were collected by using an interview schedule to elicit information about socio-demographic & clinical characteristics of schizophrenic patients, the Schizophrenia Quality of Life Scale (SQLS) and Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (P ANSS). The study showed that poor quality of life was affected by the time lapse since last hospital discharge, as well as by the period of untreated psychosis, the severity of all psychotic symptoms, and the medications' side effects. Recommendation: Psychosocial rehabilitation programs should be performed in outpatient clinics, immediately after discharge from psychiatric hospital. Such programs can help patients build up social and cognitive skills and making them more able to deal with ongoing stressors in the community.

The period of medical and nursing residency is a bottleneck because of the load of work, training. patient's treatment, relations with senior professions, accommodation and other issues. A two-years residency program similar to that of physicians was introduced recently in 1990 for the graduates of the High Institute of Nursing (HlN) in Assiut University Hospital. 134 resident physician and 71 HIN graduates included nurse residents were studied to focus the light on the work status during residency program as perceived by them. All nurses and 16.4% of resident physicians did administrative work. 97.0 % of resident physicians and 67.6% of nurses did patient care. Only nurses do report and records writing. in addition to 18.3% did requests for maintenance and cleaning. Physicians' were more tired from workload since only J 1.9% got enough sleep, on contrary to nurses (31.0%). Only 4.5% of physicians and 7.0% of nurses did house officers and internship nurses training. Most of resident physicians (70.1%) and 86.0% of nurses believe it is unsatisfactory due to absence of a training program in the department, no enough time, and lack of interest by house-officers and internship nurses. The main difficu lties encountered during residency mentioned by resident physicians were: the huge number of patients and shifts (58.2%) (p

The period of medical and nursing residency is a bottleneck because of the load of work, training. patient's treatment, relations with senior professions, accommodation and other issues. A two-years residency program similar to that of physicians was introduced recently in 1990 for the graduates of the High Institute of Nursing (HlN) in Assiut University Hospital. 134 resident physician and 71 HIN graduates included nurse residents were studied to focus the light on the work status during residency program as perceived by them. All nurses and 16.4% of resident physicians did administrative work. 97.0 % of resident physicians and 67.6% of nurses did patient care. Only nurses do report and records writing. in addition to 18.3% did requests for maintenance and cleaning. Physicians' were more tired from workload since only J 1.9% got enough sleep, on contrary to nurses (31.0%). Only 4.5% of physicians and 7.0% of nurses did house officers and internship nurses training. Most of resident physicians (70.1%) and 86.0% of nurses believe it is unsatisfactory due to absence of a training program in the department, no enough time, and lack of interest by house-officers and internship nurses. The main difficu lties encountered during residency mentioned by resident physicians were: the huge number of patients and shifts (58.2%) (p

The period of medical and nursing residency is a bottleneck because of the load of work, training. patient's treatment, relations with senior professions, accommodation and other issues. A two-years residency program similar to that of physicians was introduced recently in 1990 for the graduates of the High Institute of Nursing (HlN) in Assiut University Hospital. 134 resident physician and 71 HIN graduates included nurse residents were studied to focus the light on the work status during residency program as perceived by them. All nurses and 16.4% of resident physicians did administrative work. 97.0 % of resident physicians and 67.6% of nurses did patient care. Only nurses do report and records writing. in addition to 18.3% did requests for maintenance and cleaning. Physicians' were more tired from workload since only J 1.9% got enough sleep, on contrary to nurses (31.0%). Only 4.5% of physicians and 7.0% of nurses did house officers and internship nurses training. Most of resident physicians (70.1%) and 86.0% of nurses believe it is unsatisfactory due to absence of a training program in the department, no enough time, and lack of interest by house-officers and internship nurses. The main difficu lties encountered during residency mentioned by resident physicians were: the huge number of patients and shifts (58.2%) (p

A random sample 0[328 pregnant women (156 from urban and 172 from rural health centers) in Assiut were studied to provide an estimate of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA). Its aim also to assess care provider and pregnant women compliance for its prevention after the Ministry of Health has introduced a pregnancy anti-anaemic program. The prevalence of IDA was 43.6 % among urban and 39.5% among rural pregnant women. In urban group IDA was more (72.1%) in young ages (20-30 years) while it was 54.4% in the rural group in the same age group. None of women suffered from severe anaemia (HB 7 gmIdl). 56.4% of the urban and 41.3% of the rural groups were aware about IDA and it is significantly related to the education in each group. Home nutritional advice was given by public health nurse to 4.5% of the urban and to 19.2% of the ruraJ group while in the clinic it was given to 10.9% of urban and to 28.5% of the rural group. Television (62.8%), radio (48. 1%), mother (34.0%) and mother in law (18.6%) were the main other sources among the urban group while radio (34.9%), television (27.9%), mother in law (16.3%) and. mother (8.1%) were among the rural group. Pregnant women applied the nutritional advice were 9.6% of the urban and 22.7% of the rural group and its not related to educational, status in each group but significant between both groups (p 0.01). Most of the urban (75.6%) and rural group (84.9%) attend antenatal clinics in the second trimester. Pregnant women received iron folate tablelS fonn 53.8% of urban and 39.8% ofruml groups irrespective to Hb level. Iron tablets were taken regularly by 59.5% of urban and by 60.3% ofrural pregnant women. The nurses' role was limited because of the few given nutritional advices, very poor follow-up of women and also the scarce educational materials. Haemoglobin level after receiving iron tablets was sti ll low in 47.4% of the total urban and in 41.9% of total rural pregnant women without significant difference between both groups 1>=0.82)

Living conditions in rural areas has been identified 8S potent risk factors for home accidents in preschool children. The aim of this study was to assess the home environmental risk factors and their relation to accidents among preschool children in Tanta and Assiut govern orates. A sample of 620 mothers (312& 308 mothers from Taota & Assiut respectively) who brought their children under six years of age for physical check up to Health Center Were chosen. Each mother were intelViewed individually in the Health Center, and then visited at home. Two tools were used for collection of data, namely {I} an interview questionnaire sheet was .d esigned to collect the sociodemographic data and mother's awareness about home accidents. {2} an observation check list was used to observe home for potential environmental hazards for accidents. The results showed that 893 preschool chi ldren were affected by home accidents (432& 461 from Tanta & Assiut Respectively). Wound injury was the highest percentage and represented by (44.23%), followed by fall (41.88%), fo llowed by animal bites (26.99%), and bum (21.16%) in Tanta and Assiut homes respectively. Nearly all homes had at least two potential environmental hazards leading causes of home accidents. The total score of inadequate knowledge among mothers in both homes were79.03% and safety considerations at home was not avai lable by 87.10%. lndividuaJ predisposing factors were seemed to be significantly influenced by mothers' age and education

This study was carried out to assess the psychosocial backgrounds of drug addiction problem in Assiut Governorate The study includeed 50 drug addicts from the Social Defence Club in Assiut and from psychiatric and addiction unit of Assiut University Hospital in addition to 50-:ontrol group from their relatives. Data were collected from drug addicts were about (1) sociademographic and family backgrounds; (2) the pattern of substance abuse (3) symptoms check list- 90 (SCL-90).; (4) Drug taking situations and types used. This study revealed that drug addicts were characterized by a relatively young age (Mean = 25.41±7.24 years), low educational level and low social level. Their family relationships were quarrelsome with overcritisim and overprotection. They started drug abuse at young age. The main motives for abuse were peer influence, trial, and depression and the main desired effects were tranquility and happiness. They began and continued to abuse drugs to enjoy pleasant times with peers, under the effects of social pressure, unpleasant emotional situations and conflicts with others. The study recommends that: presence of community health nurses to assist in health education for prevention of addiction in the social defense clubs and also they integrate into a development health program within the school & they can participate in researches and studies particularly in the community. The drug addicts were more extroverted than controls and had a high score for anxiety and depression and low scores of psychoticisim and paranoid ideation.

Aging is a normal process that implies continued growth, development and adaptation until death. Moreover, the elderly can be a burden to themselves, their families and their communities. The present study aims to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of workers in Assiut University toward the elderly care. The subjects of the study consist of 624 working personnel in different faculties in Assiut University setting. They were chosen using proportion allocation method which was 25% of the total number of working personnel in each faculty, the total number of the workers in Assiut University was 2558. The results revealed that the mean age.ofthe workers was 37.2 ±11.6; females represented 60% of the studied sample, 44% of them were highly educated, and 81.0% of them living in urban communities, 45.8% of them living with elderly persons at home, while 54.2% not living with them. Majority of the studied sample had good knowledge regarding to the changes, which occur to the elderly, such as nutrition, sleeping problems, accident and exercise, while the majority of them had a poor knowledge regarding health promotion and disease prevention of the elderly. Only 14.7% of the studied sample had a satisfactory degree of practice toward the elderly care and the rest of them had a poor degree of practice. Females in studied sample had more score in practice than males. Those living in rural communities also had more score in knowledge and practice than those living in urban communities. The portion of the studied sample that was living with elderly persons, at their homes had high score in knowledge and practice than who were not living with them. The present study can recommend developing home-based care programs for elders who are residing at home and raising family awareness of the ways of keeping good physical and mental health of the elderly through information booklets and mass media.

Aging is a normal process that implies continued growth, development and adaptation until death. Moreover, the elderly can be a burden to themselves, their families and their communities. The present study aims to assess knowledge, attitudes and practices of workers in Assiut University toward the elderly care. The subjects of the study consist of 624 working personnel in different faculties in Assiut University setting. They were chosen using proportion allocation method which was 25% of the total number of working personnel in each faculty, the total number of the workers in Assiut University was 2558. The results revealed that the mean age.ofthe workers was 37.2 ±11.6; females represented 60% of the studied sample, 44% of them were highly educated, and 81.0% of them living in urban communities, 45.8% of them living with elderly persons at home, while 54.2% not living with them. Majority of the studied sample had good knowledge regarding to the changes, which occur to the elderly, such as nutrition, sleeping problems, accident and exercise, while the majority of them had a poor knowledge regarding health promotion and disease prevention of the elderly. Only 14.7% of the studied sample had a satisfactory degree of practice toward the elderly care and the rest of them had a poor degree of practice. Females in studied sample had more score in practice than males. Those living in rural communities also had more score in knowledge and practice than those living in urban communities. The portion of the studied sample that was living with elderly persons, at their homes had high score in knowledge and practice than who were not living with them. The present study can recommend developing home-based care programs for elders who are residing at home and raising family awareness of the ways of keeping good physical and mental health of the elderly through information booklets and mass media.