The digital health divide: Understanding telehealth adoption across racial lines in rural Illinois

Due to long-standing barriers to healthcare access in rural areas, telehealth has been promoted as an effective means of delivering healthcare services. However, there is a general absence of quantitative data showing how geographic residence and race affect telehealth adoption. This study examines variations in telehealth adoption based on race and geographic residence in Southern Illinois using a mail survey. It finds that residents of urban Carbondale, compared to those in rural Cairo, have better access to broadband and are more likely to use telehealth. Respondents significantly differ from each other based on their geographic location of residence and race when it came to using telehealth to save money on travel and to save money on childcare. A significant barrier to telehealth adoption identified across all groups is privacy protection concern. The findings highlight the crucial role of broadband infrastructure in healthcare access and the need for trust in telehealth systems to ensure data privacy.

A Retrospective Study on the Status of Working Equids Admitted to an Equine Clinic in Cairo: Disease Prevalence and Associations between Physical Parameters and Outcome

Working equids are often used to exhaustion, living and dying in conditions below minimal welfare standards. Due to their poor welfare status, euthanasia should be considered in certain conditions. The study aimed to describe the population and the disease frequency of the working equids admitted at an equine clinic in Cairo (i.e., Egypt Equine Aid (EEA)) from 2019 to 2022 and identify possible associations between physical parameters at admission and the outcome. Records of 1360 equids admitted at EEA were reviewed. The majority of the admitted equids were horses (65.6%), followed by donkeys (33%), in particular stallions (68.7%), from 1 to 15 years old (74.8%). Hospitalisation was mainly due to wounds (28.9%), orthopaedic problems (27.4%), colic (8.5%), or infectious diseases (7.4%). The majority of the equids were discharged, but 5.1% died on their own, without human intervention, and 23% were euthanised. Text mining revealed the anamnesis's most frequent words were 'accident', 'lameness', and 'wound'. In addition, owners sometimes reported using inappropriate remedies (e.g., firing) before hospitalisation. Multivariable ordinal regression analysis performed between physical parameters and the outcome (ordered based on severity: discharged, euthanasia, and dead) revealed that sex (male vs. female: OR = 1.33; p < 0.05), colour of the mucous membrane (pathological vs. physiological: OR = 1.72; p < 0.01), and capillary refill time (pathological vs. physiological: OR = 1.42; p = 0.02) increased the likelihood of a non-survival outcome. In conclusion, early euthanasia should be considered for these equids, to minimise prolonged suffering. Moreover, owners' education is recommended to guarantee minimal welfare standards to the working equids.

Incidence of incidental positron emission tomography and computed tomography signs of COVID-19 in asymptomatic cancer patients in Egypt

Background

COVID-19 was first reported in Egypt on 14 February 2020 and continues to be a major threat to public health.

Aims

We studied the incidence of incidental positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) signs of COVID-19 in asymptomatic cancer patients and compared this with the number of reported COVID-19 cases during the same period.

Methods

We included all cancer patients who underwent PET/CT at Misr Radiology Center, Cairo, between 2 May and 7 August 2020.

Results

There were 479 patients who underwent PET/CT primarily for follow-up, and 66 (13.78%) of them showed radiological signs of COVID-19, with the peak incidence in weeks 7-8 of the study. This coincided and strongly correlated with the peak incidence of COVID-19 in Egypt (Pearson's correlation coefficient test = 0.943).

Conclusion

The incidence of incidental PET/CT signs of COVID-19 was in accordance with the officially reported incidence of COVID-19 in Egypt between 2 May and 7 August 2020. These results could be helpful for implementing and adjusting public health and social measures during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Computational prediction of dust deposition on solar panels

This research is concerned with performing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations to investigate the air flow and dust deposition behavior around a ground-mounted solar PV panel. The discrete phase model (DPM) is adopted to model the gas-solid flow. The influence of the wind speed, the dust particle size, and the dust material on the dust deposition rate was investigated based on the environment of Cairo, Egypt. The wind speeds range between 1 and 11.5 m/s with an average of 3.7 m/s. It is found that increasing the wind speed decreases the dust deposition rate. For wind speeds higher than 2 m/s, it is found that increasing the dust particle diameter or the dust density increases the dust deposition rate. For wind speeds lower than 2 m/s, it is found that there is a critical particle size before which increasing the dust density causes dust deposition rate to increase and after which increasing the dust density decreases the dust deposition. The maximum percentage of deposition rate equals 10.8% and occurs for the dolomite dust material at a wind speed of 2 m/s and particles diameter of 150 μm.

Spatial Distribution, Contamination Levels, and Health Risk Assessment of Potentially Toxic Elements in Household Dust in Cairo City, Egypt

Urban areas’ pollution, which is owing to rapid urbanization and industrialization, is one of the most critical issues in densely populated cities such as Cairo. The concentrations and the spatial distribution of fourteen potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in household dust were investigated in Cairo City, Egypt. PTE exposure and human health risk were assessed using the USEPA’s exposure model and guidelines. The levels of As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn surpassed the background values. Contamination factor index revealed that contamination levels are in the sequence Cd > Hg > Zn > Pb > Cu > As > Mo > Ni > Cr > Co > V > Mn > Fe > Al. The degree of contamination ranges from considerably to very high pollution. Elevated PTE concentrations in Cairo’s household dust may be due to heavy traffic emissions and industrial activities. The calculated noncarcinogenic risk for adults falls within the safe limit, while those for children exceed that limit in some sites. Cairo residents are at cancer risk owing to prolonged exposure to the indoor dust in their homes. A quick and targeted plan must be implemented to mitigate these risks.

Assessment of air pollution at Greater Cairo in relation to the spatial variability of surface urban heat island

Greater Cairo, Egypt, which lies in the apex of the Nile Delta, is one of the most populated regions in the world. Air pollution is a profound environmental issue prevailing in the urban/rural landscapes of this crowded megacity. The objectives of the present study were to utilize remotely sensed data in order to address the seasonal variations of the nocturnal surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) as extracted from the American Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite and the related seasonal distribution of selected air pollutants, including nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), sulphur dioxide (SO₂), and carbon monoxide (CO) as extracted from the European TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI) for the period from 2018 to 2021. It is observed that there is clear nocturnal urban heat island over Greater Cairo, particularly at the administrative districts dominated by urban land use with high density of population and at the industrial and power generation locations. The highest SUHII is observed during winter. On the other hand, the selected pollutants also represent an urban pollution island (UPI) capping the regions of high SUHII. At the seasonal level, the highest NO₂ correlation with the SUHII occurs during spring (R² = 0.59), while the CO correlates maximum during winter (R² = 0.51). Nonetheless, the seasonal SO₂ distribution is poorly related to the SUHII as this specific pollutant is significantly associated with the industrial land use. Climatic and topographic factors could intensify the distribution of air pollution in the study area. Results of this study demonstrate the significance of geospatial technology tools in the subtle analysis and addressing regional air pollution. The outputs are also of a paramount implication on the management of urban environment and the adaptation of urban air quality.

Study of handling of medico-legal cases in governmental hospitals in Cairo

Medico-legal case (MLC) represents an integral part of medical practice in the emergency departments and causalities. Therefore, the physicians should have the sufficient knowledge of their roles and responsibilities while handling these cases to aid legal justice. This study on the physicians working in governmental hospitals in Cairo aimed to assess physicians' knowledge, practice and attitude regarding handling of MLCs. The study included 452 physicians working in 7 governmental hospitals in Cairo. There were non-significant differences in physicians' knowledge, practice and attitude scores according to their age groups, gender, job titles or duration of work experience. Physicians working in the day surgery centre had the lowest knowledge and attitude scores. Daily rate of confrontation with MLCs was reported by 42% the participants (190 physicians) and weekly rate was reported by 21.7% (98 physicians). Writing ML report was found as the most frequently encountered difficulty faced the participants during handling of MLCs (67.1%), followed by dealing with the patients' relatives. In conclusion, this study revealed absence of a well defined protocol for recognition and handling of MLCs in all included governmental hospitals in Cairo.

Risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in River Nile up- and downstream of a densely populated area

A biomonitoring study was conducted to evaluate levels of eleven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in water, sediment and wild Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) samples collected up- and downstream of Cairo sector of the River Nile, Egypt. The scaled mass index (SMI), as a fish body mass-length relationship, performed better in indicating the ecosystem and fish conditions. The total PAHs in water samples had a range of 0.0156-0.0269 mg/L, while that in sediment samples ranged from 0.723 to 1.078 mg/kg dry weight and that in fish muscles ranged from 4.065 to 10.033 mg/kg wet weight. Pollutant source appraisal was determined by diagnostic ratios and proved the predominance of pyrogenic sources in water, petrogenic sources in fish, and mixed source origin in sediment. Human health risks associated with fish consumption showed that non-cancer adverse health effects are not expected to occur but the calculated lifetime cancer risk (LCR) for the total PAHs proved that the fish muscles are not safe for human consumption at both sites. Regular monitoring programs and mitigation efforts should be considered in the near future along such areas heavily influenced by human activities.

Prevalence of stuttering in primary school children in Cairo-Egypt

PURPOSE

To determine the prevalence of stuttering among primary school children in Cairo.

METHOD

A cross-sectional design was employed. Using a multi-stage random sample from 10 schools in Cairo, a total of 8765 primary school students were enrolled in the study. The teacher referring method was initially used to detect stuttering students, which was then confirmed by a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria. Personal data were collected for all students and separate questionnaires were administered to the parents of each stuttering child, inquiring about consanguinity, family history, presence of other disorders and family attitudes towards the child.

RESULT

Prevalence of stuttering among primary school children in Cairo was 1.03%. The prevalence of stuttering showed a declining trend in the older age group. Stuttering was 7-fold more prevalent among left-handed students. Males had a higher prevalence of stuttering, but didn't reach statistical significance. Anxiety was expressed in 25% of the families of affected children. Positive family history was found in 28% of cases, mainly among first-degree relatives.

CONCLUSION

The current study showed a prevalence of stuttering comparable to other areas of the world with some evidence of hereditary background, although lower than that reported by other studies.

Suspicious child female deaths in Great Cairo and Giza during 2011-2012

Childhood mortality is a measure of a nation's health. A statistical analysis on suspicious child female deaths was done in two years period from 1st January 2011 to 31st December 2012. It's incidence was (4%) of all autopsied cases. The adolescent group (16-18 yrs) was highly involved 44 cases (27.5%). The majority of cases were known (82%) and they were from Great Cairo (60%) especially poor areas. Incidences were prevalent in March (15%), indoor (58%) and homicide was main manner in (42.5%) of cases. A relative was the main perpetrator in (50%) of homicidal cases. Wounds were observed in (43%) of cases. The head and neck regions were injured (50%) and signs of abuse were detected in (16%) of the studied cases. These results may be a guide for developing prevention policy.

Screening for hypertension among adults: community outreach in Cairo, Egypt

BACKGROUND

Studies have shown alarming levels of hypertension among adults in the Middle East. The aim of our study is to measure the prevalence rate of hypertension among adults in Cairo (Egypt), identify possible risk factors for the development of hypertension and assess the rates of undiagnosed and uncontrolled hypertension.

METHODS

Cluster sampling was utilized and the fieldwork was conducted by 12 teams; each team consisted of a house officer, community worker and senior epidemiologist. A formulated questionnaire that addresses risk factors for hypertension was filled by all participants. Also, weight and height measurements were done to calculate the body mass index. Blood pressure measurement was done by calibrated sphygmomanometers. Blood pressure measurement was done twice, and a mean recording was calculated. A case which recorded both systolic blood pressure of ≥140 and diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 was considered hypertensive.

RESULTS

The study included 774 adult residents of Al-Waily District (Western Zone of Cairo) in late 2011 and early 2012. The mean age of the study participants was 46.5 (SD 17.9) years. Female subjects constituted 67.1% of the studied sample. The prevalence rate of hypertension in our study was 16.5% (95% confidence interval (CI): 13.9-19.3). The rate of hypertension was higher among females and three times higher among obese compared with normal or overweight adults. The prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension was 11% (95% CI: 8.4-13.9), and uncontrolled hypertension was 30% (95% CI: 24.2-37).

CONCLUSIONS

Community outreach campaigns should be conducted regularly in the future for early detection of hypertension cases and proper health education about hypertension and its dangerous consequences.