Middle East Journal of Rehabilitation and Health Studies
Volume:4 Issue: 2, Apr 2017

Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder affecting the general population. The prevalence of LBP varies across the studied populations, geographic areas, and age groups.

 Prevalence of LBP in Nigeria is largely occupational based. The prevalence differs based on the type of occupation, population, or age group. Therefore, it is necessary to collect data that can help to identify a point or annual prevalence that guides practice and policy making. The databases of PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and SciELO were searched from the inception to May, 2016. A strategy was developed to search the databases. Articles were included if they reported the prevalence of LBP in Nigeria. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed.

A total of 103 studies were yielded among which 12 studies were relevant. The 12-month prevalence of LBP was commonly reported, and it was estimated from 32.5% to 73.53%. All of the reviewed studies were occupational based and did not depict a true general population prevalence of LBP.

The findings of the current review demonstrated a high prevalence of LBP among workers. Future studies with appropriate methodological design on a general population helps to identify the impact of LBP in Nigeria

Office workers, especially computer users are at risk of developing neck pain (NP), while limited studies have been conducted on this issue.

The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence, risk factors, and consequences of NP in office employees, and its effect on their quality of life and work.

This research was a cross sectional study conducted during years 2014 and 2015. Among all employees, 220 people were randomly selected from 10 welfare organization offices of Semnan city of Iran. Data regarding the individual characteristics, occurrence of NP and its intensity, health status, risk factors and consequences of NP including functional disability and quality of life and work, as well as work-related factors were collected.

Immediate, last month, last six months, last year, and lifetime prevalence of NP were 38.1%, 39.7%, 41.1%, 45.8% and, 62.1%, respectively. The point prevalence of NP was significantly related to age, gender, health status, job satisfaction, and length of employment (P < 0.05). Elongated working hours on the computer, taking a prolonged sitting position, and static postures were the most irritating factors, respectively (P < 0.001). Taking medications and physiotherapy were the most effective intervention strategies that participants chose for the treatment of NP (60.2%).

The findings provide evidence that the prevalence of NP in office employees was high. The modifiable individual and work-related factors were as follows, improving health status, job satisfaction, reduction of working hours on the computer, avoiding prolonged sitting and static postures, having a rest time during working hours, and performing regular daily exercises.

Despite two decades of using mobile phone, the biological effects of electromagnetic radiation remain controversial. The study was conducted to determine the effect of mobile phone waves on anxiety-like behaviors in male rats.

A total number of 80 male naive rats were, randomly, divided into eight groups (Control, 900, 1 800, and 2 100 MHz exposure). The acute and chronic effects of mobile phone radiation on the anxiety profile was compared considering a 45-min session and seven sessions of radiation (45 min/day) using the elevated plus-maze (EPM) in rats. The number of rats entering the open and closed arms and their duration of stay in each of the arms were assessed. To estimate the oxidative stress, Superoxide Dismutase level in the blood serum was evaluated.

The results obtained in the EPM showed no significant differences among the groups after acute exposure to mobile phone radiation (P > 0.05). No significant differences were observed among the groups in terms of their serum superoxide dismutase level (P > 0.05).

Short time mobile phone radiation had no effect on anxiety-like behaviors and serum enzyme activity; this may be due to low tissue irritation during acute exposure to mobile phone waves

Many factors including self-efficacy and achievement motivation can affect children’s academic progress. Studies have shown that socioeconomic status can affect people’s life, education, and vocation. However, not many studies looked at the relations between the intrinsic factors and socioeconomic status, and between these 2 categories and students’ academic progress in children with learning disabilities. Thus, the present study aimed at examining self-efficacy, achievement motivation, and academic progress of students with learning disabilities compared with typical students and looking for any possible relation between these variables and socioeconomic status (parental education and occupation).

This was a cross sectional study, which included 34 students with learning disabilities and 32 typical students matched on age, gender, and school grade. The participants answered Sherer et al.’s self-efficacy scale (1982) and Herman’s achievement motivation questionnaire (2000). Students’ academic progress was evaluated based on the descriptive scores in the first semester.

Scores of children with learning disabilities in self-efficacy, achievement motivation, and academic progress were significantly lower than those of matched controls (P<0.0001). Results revealed moderate positive correlations between academic progress and different levels of self-efficacy (rs = 0.441, P<0.0001, N = 66); and between academic progress and achievement motivation (rs = 0.645, P<0.0001, N = 66). The results of the correlation analysis demonstrated weak to moderate positive correlations between academic progress and parental education (rs = 0.39, P = 0.001), academic progress and father’s occupation (rs = 0.323, P = 0.008), achievement motivation and parental education (rs = .34, p = 0.009, N = 66), and finally achievement motivation and father’s occupation (rs = 0.285, P = 0.02, N = 66).

Lower levels of self-efficacy and achievement motivation in students with learning disabilities indicate that relying on only Individualized Educational Program cannot solve problems of these children. The relations between academic progress and different factors (intrinsic and environmental) suggest a complex explanation for the children’s lower academic progress.

Physical activity (PA) plays an important role in health promotion as well as disease prevention, especially among young adults. The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards PA among medical sciences students living in university dormitories in Semnan, Iran.

In a cross-sectional study, 421 students living in the dormitories of Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran, were randomly included to the study. Students’ knowledge of physical activity (KPA), attitudes of physical activity (APA), and practices of physical activity (PPA) were investigated using a targeted questioner. The obtained data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 at the significance level of 0.05.

Participants included 165 (39.2%) male and 256 (60.85%) female students with the mean age of 21.05 ± 2.7 years. The mean scores of KPA, APA and PPA were 48.74 ± 16.01, 58.91 ± 9.02, and 232.5 ± 334.42 minutes per week, respectively. Students’ APA had a significant correlation with age (P value = 0.007, r = 0.70) and there was a significant difference (P value = 0.008), between recorded APA from the male group (57.40 ± 10.01) compared to the female group (59.88 ± 8.20), whereas no statistically significant correlation was seen between other variables in the study (P > 0.05).

Most of the students had moderate KPA and APA and also an unfavorable PPA. More attention should be paid in improving the KPA, APA, and PPA of medical sciences students living in university dormitories.

Non-invasive and cost effective treatments of coronary artery disease (CAD) are a health priority and a current necessity.

This study aimed at comparing the results of myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with coronary angiography findings in the diagnosis of CAD.

This cross sectional study included 155 patients with stable angina, who were referred to Kowsar hospital, Semnan, Iran, from May 2013 to April 2014. After confirmation of positive perfusion imaging, angiography was performed within 3 months. Myocardial perfusion imaging results were categorized as mild, moderate and severe, and also in coronary angiography, narrowing of more than 50% of the vessels was considered as significant stenosis.

Mean age was 58.3 ± 11.5 and 82 (52.9%) of the participants were male. According to MPI, the lateral wall of the myocardia (44.5%) was the most common affected area. Abnormal angiographic findings were reported in 47.7% (n = 74) of the patients. The number of affected vessels in the angiography had a positive correlation with the scan score (r = 0.501 and P = 0.001). The MPI had less than 50% sensitivity and more than 72% specificity.

This study indicated that MPI and coronary angiography findings had a positive correlation. The sensitivity of MPI was less than optimal, and it may be better if supplemented by other diagnostic techniques for diagnosis CAD

This study aimed at examining if a 6-session protocol of tonic-phasic exercises using manometric biofeedback (BFB) is capable of improving quality of life (QoL) and muscular strength in patients with urinary incontinence (UI).

A prospective quasi-experimental before-after study was performed on 31 patients with Urinary Incontinence (UI) referred to the rehabilitation department of Santa Cristina’s University hospital, Madrid, Spain. The study was performed from January to December 2016. At initial evaluation, affiliation of data, predisposing factors, and type of UI were recorded. Patients were given lifestyle recommendations and international consultation on incontinence questionnaire short form (ICIQ-SF)/ incontinence quality-of-life measure (I-QOL) questionnaires/scales to be fulfilled at the beginning/end of treatment. Manometric evaluation was recorded at initial/final evaluation by MYOMED ® 932. Manometric-BFB protocol consisted of a 30-minute session of tonic/phasic exercises (15 minutes each), 2 times a week for up to 6 sessions, supervised by a physiotherapist.

Mean age was 52 ± 12.1 years. Overall, 96.7% (n = 31) of the participants were females. Maximum and mean strength of pelvic floor contraction was 24 ± 17.72 and 4.9 ± 4.1 mmHg, and increased significantly after treatment to 35 ± 20.85 and 7.45 ± 4.92 mmHg (P < 0.01). The mean ICIQ-SF score was 9.13 ± 5.18 and decreased significantly to 6.13 ± 4.75 (P = 0.003). The mean I-QoL score increased significantly from 70.33 ± 22.12 to 81.25 ± 16.72 (P = 0.0017). The I-QoL Limiting Behaviour (LB)-subscale raised from 68.38 ± 23.33 to 80 ± 16.56 (P = 0.0015); I-QoL Psychosocial Impact (PI)-subscale increased from 77.43 ± 24.51 to 80 ± 17.47 (p = 0.0152); and I-QoL social embarrassment (SE)-subscale incremented from 60.72 ± 22.37 to 74.37 ± 20.86 (P = 0.0007).

Manometric-BFB protocol is capable of decreasing UI and to improve QoL and manometric values. This reduced protocol could be applied to other public and private institutions and it could have an economical impact on the health system and on patients’ economy.

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a chronic steno-occlusive cerebrovascular condition initially described in 1957 in a Japanese patient. The classic angiographic findings include bilateral stenosis or occlusion at the terminal portion of the internal carotid artery, with an abnormal vascular network at the base of the brain. There are few epidemiological descriptions of non-Asian cases.

This study aimed at evaluating a cohort of patients with the MMD admitted in a quaternary, open-access rehabilitation hospital in central Brazil.

This was a retrospective, observational study. Two neurologists reviewed data from electronic records of patients with MMD admitted to SARAH Hospital in Brasilia in the past sixteen years. Data on etiology, associated conditions and general characteristics were collected. The modified Rankim scale (mRS) was used to determine morbidity.

Twenty-one patients were identified and selected for this research. The average age at presentation was 20.5 years (range: 0 - 69 years), 62% were females, and 43% reported Asian ancestry. Ischemic stroke (IS) occurred in 95%, hemorrhagic stroke (HS) in 19%, and both IS and HS in 14%. Stroke recurred in 76% during follow-up; of these, 87% had IS. Because no other associated condition was found, 80% of the patients could be classified as MMD; 15% had the Moyamoya syndrome, with the presence of other conditions associated with the disease. Our hospital-based study showed a lower average age of onset than that in the literature, a much higher incidence of IS, and similar rates of HS. Patients with HS scored worse on an initial and final mRS, and surgical procedures did not significantly alter the prognosis. In comparison with those reported in international literature, we did not find significant differences in disability rates between younger and older patients. The average mRS score at admission was 3.4 (range: 2 - 4), with 2.9 (range: 1 - 4) at discharge.

Rehabilitation was able to improve the quality of life, as shown by the mRS at admission and discharge. Patients with HS tended to have worse outcomes