Comparative analysis of the impact of cigarette taxation on consumption, revenue and mortality in Jordan.

Background: Tobacco taxes are a powerful tool for reducing tobacco consumption and a reliable source of revenue for government.

Aim: To investigate the potential efficacy of tobacco taxation strategies in Jordan in relation to their fiscal and health-related outcomes.

Methods: Using Tobacconomics, we conducted a comparative analysis of several taxation scenarios: maintaining the status quo; increasing both specific excise and tiered taxes; increasing tiered tax rates alone; and raising specific excise taxes only.

Critical Care Nurses' Knowledge of Tracheostomy Care.

Background: Tracheostomy care is a standard procedure that nurses perform in Critical Care Units (CCUs) to reduce complications from tracheostomy. The literature indicates a clear variety of care and practice in managing tracheostomy patients within the healthcare system. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge level of tracheostomy care among nurses in CCUs in Jordanian hospitals.

Effects of argan spinosa oil in the treatment of diaper dermatitis in infants and toddlers: A quasi-experimental study.

Objectives: Diaper dermatitis (DD) is one of the most common dermatological disorders in children. Commonly used drugs for treatment have several adverse effects; therefore, assessment of safe therapeutic strategies is necessary. We, therefore, aimed at comparing the efficacy of argan spinosa oil and 1% hydrocortisone ointment on DD healing.

Impact of Multimedia Messaging Service Education and Exercise Social Support on Physical Activity Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: Quasi-Experimental Study.

Background: Social support is one of the interpersonal stimuli that define an individual's predisposition to engage in health-promoting behaviors and is considered a facilitator in improving health habits. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can benefit from educating supportive families and friends on self-care management including exercise behavior. Multimedia messaging service (MMS) could also be an effective method for delivering targeted educational interventions that focus on physical activity (PA).

The Impact of Behavioral Economics-Based Counseling and Mobile Phone Text Educational and Reminder Messages on the Use of Modern Family Planning in Jordan: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Favorable attitudes toward modern family planning methods (MFPMs) among Jordanian and Syrian women do not always translate into behavioral changes, and the availability and cost of MFPMs do not appear to be related to either prior stalls in fertility rates in Jordan or to the current and likely temporary decline in fertility rates. This study aimed to determine whether behavioral economics (BE)-based family planning interventions influence the use of any family planning method, MFPMs use, continuation of MFPMs use, and pregnancy rates among women in Jordan. The BE-based family planning interventions included personalized text messaging and augmented counseling based on framing and identity-priming BE principles, with their effects tested over a 9-month period in the postpartum period following the birth of a child.

Maturity Level of Digital Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health Initiatives in Jordan and Palestine.

Background: While there is a rapid increase in digital health initiatives focusing on the processing of personal data for strengthening the delivery of reproductive, maternal, newborn, and child health (RMNCH) services in fragile settings, these are often unaccompanied at both the policy and operational levels with adequate legal and regulatory frameworks.

Objective: The main aim was to understand the maturity level of digital personal data initiatives for RMNCH services within fragile contexts. This aim was performed by choosing digital health initiatives from each country (two in Jordan and three in Palestine) based on RMNCH.

Retrospective study on the impact of COVID-19 lockdown on patients with type 2 diabetes in Northern Jordan.

Objective: During COVID-19 pandemic, complete lockdown of cities was one of the measures implemented by governments worldwide. Lockdown had a significant impact on people's lifestyles and access and utilisation of health services. This study aimed to assess the impact of the lockdown on glycaemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Duty to Work During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of Perceptions of Health Care Providers in Jordan.

Introduction: This study aimed to assess perceptions of duty to work among health care providers during the coronavirus disease 2019 response and to identify factors that may influence their perceptions.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted from April 1, 2020, to April 20, 2020, using an online survey distributed to health care providers in Jordan. Descriptive statistics were used, as well as chi-square test for independence to assess relationships between variables.

Effectiveness of theory-based Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) on exercise benefits and barriers among patients with type 2 diabetes.

The current study aimed to examine the effectiveness of multimedia messaging service (MMS) education on exercise benefits and barriers in patients with type 2 diabetes. A quasi-experimental, pretest-post-test design recruited 98 patients with type 2 diabetes. The intervention group received MMS education to improve perceived exercise benefits and decrease exercise barriers over two months, and the control group received routine care.

Effect of Multimedia Messaging Service on Exercise Self-efficacy in Diabetic Patients.

To increase patients' self-efficacy for initiation of physical activity, there is a need to include physical activity into patient education in clinic settings. In this study, we aimed to assess the effectiveness of multimedia messaging service (MMS) education on exercise self-efficacy in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We used a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design to study 98 patients with T2DM.

Perceived Barriers of Using Modern Family Planning Methods among Women in Jordan: A Qualitative Study.

Background: Some cultural and social factors may discourage the use of modern family planning (MFP) methods. The purpose of this study was to better understand the barriers and social norms that might affect women's ability to take optimal advantage of the free family planning services offered by the Jordanian Ministry of Health (MOH).

Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive design, 7 focus group discussions were conducted from January to February 2018, with a purposive sample of 52 married women.

Midwives and women's perspectives on family planning in Jordan: human rights, gender equity, decision-making and power dynamics.

Objectives: This study explored midwives' and Jordanian and Syrian women's perceptions towards family planning (FP) counseling and the process of FP decision making mechanism to provide evidence for expanding the access and improving the quality and utilization of FP services in Jordan.

Methods: Explorative qualitative study that purposively recruited 24 women for 4 focus group discussions (FDGs) and 17 midwives for in-depth interviews from two governorates in Jordan. The transcribed narratives were subjected to deductive content analysis.

Perceptions Toward the Use of Digital Technology for Enhancing Family Planning Services: Focus Group Discussion With Beneficiaries and Key Informative Interview With Midwives.

Background: Modern family planning (FP) methods allow married couples to discuss and determine the number of children and years of spacing between them. Despite many significant improvements in FP services in Jordan, there are still many issues related to the uptake of FP services for both host communities and Syrian refugees, due to limitations in the health care system based on public health facilities. Digital technologies can provide opportunities to address the challenges faced in the health system, thus offering the potential to improve both coverage and quality of FP services and practices.

The Jordan Stillbirth and Neonatal Mortality Surveillance (JSANDS) System: Evaluation Study.

Background: The Jordan Stillbirth and Neonatal Mortality Surveillance (JSANDS) is an electronic surveillance system that automatically transfers the data on births, stillbirths, and neonatal deaths to the concerned authorities in the Ministry of Health. JSANDS was implemented and tested in 5 maternity hospitals during the period spanning May 2019 through December 2020.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness and performance of JSANDS to register births, stillbirths, and neonatal deaths, and determine their causes.

Walk the Talk: The Transforming Journey of Facility-Based Death Review Committee from Stillbirths to Neonates.

Background: Facility-based death review committee (DRC) of neonatal deaths and stillbirths can encourage stakeholders to enhance the quality of care during the antenatal period and labour to improve birth outcomes. To understand the benefits and impact of the DRCs, this study was aimed at exploring the DRC members' perception about the role and benefits of the newly developed facility-based DRCs in five pilot hospitals in Jordan, to assess women empowerment, decision-making process, power dynamics, culture and genderism as contributing factors for deaths, and impact of COVID-19 lockdown on births.

Methods: A descriptive study of a qualitative design-using focus group discussions-was conducted after one year of establishing DRCs in 5 pilot large hospitals.

Caring for a Child with Cancer: Experiences of Jordanian Mothers.

The diagnosis of childhood cancer is one of the most serious and unexpected experiences a mother can endure. A descriptive phenomenological approach was used to explore the experiences of mothers of children diagnosed with cancer in Jordan. Themes that emerged include (1) Emotional response on knowing the diagnosis (feelings of shock, lack of preparedness, denial, and feelings of "paralysis"), (2) Fear of the dreaded disease (fear of suffering and fear of death), and (3) The challenges of the treatment journey (inadequate financial resources, role transition, and feeling socially isolated).

Gender-specific differences in plasma ferritin in adolescents smoking cigarettes versus waterpipe smoking: the Irbid-TRY Project.

Introduction: Ferritin has been implicated in body physiology and pathology. Smoking cigarettes (Cg) alters ferritin metabolism. Waterpipe (Wp) smoking has recently reemerged as a global epidemic and is linked to the most devastating diseases.

The usability of Jordan stillbirths and neonatal deaths surveillance (JSANDS) system: results of focus group discussions.

Background: Jordan Stillbirths and Neonatal Deaths Surveillance system (JSANDS) is a newly developed system and is currently implemented in five large hospitals in Jordan. This study aimed at exploring the healthcare professionals' perception about the usability of JSANDS.

Methods: A descriptive qualitative approach, using focus group discussions, was adopted.

The Association Between Cognitive Medical Errors and Their Contributing Organizational and Individual Factors.

Background: Examining cognitive medical errors (MEs) and their contributing factors is vital in health systems research, as it provides baseline data that can be used to develop appropriate interventions to prevent and/or minimize errors. The primary aim of this study was to investigate the association between cognitive MEs and hospitals' organizational factors and the individual psychological and functional factors.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in three main hospitals in Northern Jordan.

Levels of Trace Elements in Human Breast Milk in Jordan: a Comparison with Infant Formula Milk Powder.

Human breast milk and infant formula milk powder (IFMP) are the main nutritional sources for infants. In the literature, there is a lack of studies concerning levels of trace elements in human milk and IMP in Jordan. The aim of this research was the determination of levels of 24 trace elements in human breast milk from Jordanian mothers (n = 76) and IFMP from Jordanian market (n = 22).

Parental Smoking Behavior and Childhood Cancer: A Case-control Study.

In this paper, we examine the relationship between parental cigarette, waterpipe, or dual smoking behavior and the development of childhood cancer. We utilized a case-control design (200 in the case age- and sex-matched with 400 control group). The sample was selected from 3 main public hospitals in Jordan.

Rate, determinants, and causes of stillbirth in Jordan: Findings from the Jordan Stillbirth and Neonatal Deaths Surveillance (JSANDS) system.

Background: Annually, 2.6 million stillbirths occur around the world, with approximately 98% occurring in low- and middle-income countries. The stillbirth rates in these countries are 10 times higher than the rates in high-income countries.