Qualitative exploration of awareness about risk factors and transformative behaviours among Pakistani patients with coronary artery disease.

Objectives: To explore patients' awareness of risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD) and experiences of the behavioural modifications, they made during their recovery through in-depth semistructured interviews.

Design: Qualitative exploration was undertaken as part of a larger project to answer the study questions.

Setting: Participants were recruited from a public-sector tertiary care hospital in Lahore Pakistan.

Development and testing of a videogame intervention for symptom management among 8-18 years old children with cancer: a study protocol.

Introduction: Evidence shows that cancer treatment-related symptoms could be managed effectively in 8-18 years old children through Digital Health Interventions (DHIs), consequently improving their health-related quality of life (HRQOL). However, limited research is available about digitally mediated educative health interventions for children with cancer from lower-middle income countries like Pakistan. This study aims to develop a videogame intervention for children with cancer and test the clinical efficacy of the videogame concerning HRQOL and cancer treatment-related symptoms.

Living With Cancer: Child-Parent Dyads' Perspectives and Experiences From a Private Tertiary Care Hospital in Pakistan.

The life experiences of children with cancer and their parents as individuals have been well documented in literature. However, little is known about their experiences as child-parent dyads in Pakistan regarding these children's quality of life. Thus, the study was conducted in the context of the family-centric society of Pakistan.

Oral health of chemotherapy patients before and after provision of oral hygiene instructions at a tertiary care hospital: pre-post design.

Objective: Disturbances in the oral mucosa is a major concern among patients undergoing chemotherapy. One of the most significant barriers in the implementation of oral care is the lack of knowledge. The aim of the study was to assess gingival and periodontal health status of chemotherapy patients before and after the provision of oral hygiene instructions.

The Effects of Music Therapy on Patients Undergoing Colonoscopy in a Tertiary Care Hospital at Karachi, Pakistan: A Comparative Study.

A colonoscopy is a procedure commonly used for the diagnosis of colorectal diseases but may be associated with high levels of anxiety and discomfort, which can lead to complications during sedation and decreased patient comfort and cooperation. This study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi to assess the effectiveness of music therapy on pre-procedural anxiety, sedation requirements, pain, and procedure duration among patients undergoing colonoscopies. This comparative study included 110 outpatients.

"If the food is finished after my brother eats then we (girls) sleep hungry." Food insecurity and dietary diversity among slum-dwelling adolescent girls and boys in Pakistan: A mixed methods study.

To explore gender differences in food insecurity (FI) and minimum dietary diversity (MDD) among adolescent girls and boys in a slum community in Karachi, we employed an explanatory sequential mixed methods study that included a survey of 391 girls and boys of 10-19 years of age and followed by semi-structured interviews of eight purposely selected food insecure adolescents. Survey data was analyzed by Cox proportional algorithm and adjusted prevalence ratios (APR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated for associated factors of FI and thematic analysis was undertaken for qualitative work. Meta inferences for mixed methods study were drawn by joint display analysis of survey results juxtaposed to qualitative findings.

Early recognition and management of maternal sepsis in Pakistan: a feasibility study of the implementation of FAST-M intervention.

Objective: Maternal sepsis is the third leading cause of maternal mortality globally. WHO and collaborators developed a care bundle called FAST-M (luids, ntibiotics, ource identification and treatment, ransfer and onitoring) for early identification and management of maternal sepsis in low-resource settings. This study aimed to determine feasibility of FAST-M intervention in a low-resource setting in Pakistan.

Home-based cardiac rehabilitation: development, implementation and outcome evaluation in patients with coronary artery diseases in Lahore, Pakistan - a mixed-methods study protocol.

Introduction: Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an important strategy to bring cardiac patients back to a normal life after a cardiac event. The benefits of CR as part of secondary prevention are widely known among people who have undergone myocardial infarction or revascularisation. As evidenced by several systematic reviews and meta-analyses, home-based CR (HBCR) has similar or greater effects on health-related quality of life, health outcomes, physical activity, anxiety and unplanned visits to the emergency department as compared with centre-based CR.

The Scope of Practice for Primary Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Expanded to Advanced Practice Providers: What Does the Data Show?

Purpose Of Review: The review aims to explore the available literature on the role of advance practice providers (APPs) in the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVD).

Recent Findings: CVD are the major cause of death and disease with the growing burden of direct and indirect costs. Globally, one out of every three deaths is due to CVD.

The Pandemic of Coronary Heart Disease in South Asia: What Clinicians Need to Know.

Purpose Of Review: South Asia has around 1/6 of the current global population. Epidemiological studies suggest that South Asians living in South Asia and diaspora are at an increased risk of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases (ASCVDs). This is due to an interplay of genetic, acquired, and environmental risk factors.

Nurse-led culturally relevant smoking reduction intervention among cardiovascular and respiratory patients in Pakistan.

Introduction: Socioeconomically deprived populations are at greater risk for smoking-induced diseases and death, such as cancers, and cardiovascular and respiratory illnesses. The initiation of a nurse-led smoking cessation program in clinical practice is an effective method to enhance smoking cessation among cardiovascular and respiratory patients in Pakistan. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-led smoking reduction intervention performed at out-patient clinics in Karachi, Pakistan.

Evaluation of the FAST-M maternal sepsis intervention in Pakistan: A qualitative exploratory study.

Introduction: The World Health Organization and partners developed and evaluated a maternity-specific sepsis care bundle called 'FAST-M' for low-resource settings. However, this bundle has not yet been studied in Asia. Our study sought to evaluate the perceptions of healthcare providers about the implementation of the FAST-M intervention in Pakistan.

Adapting the FAST-M maternal sepsis intervention for implementation in Pakistan: a qualitative exploratory study.

Objective: A maternal sepsis management bundle for resource-limited settings was developed through a synthesis of evidence and international consensus. This bundle, called 'FAST-M' consists of: Fluids, Antibiotics, Source control, assessment of the need to Transport/Transfer to a higher level of care and ongoing Monitoring (of the mother and neonate). The study aimed to adapt the FAST-M intervention including the bundle care tools for early identification and management of maternal sepsis in a low-resource setting of Pakistan and identify potential facilitators and barriers to its implementation.

Evaluation of the feasibility of the FAST-M maternal sepsis intervention in Pakistan: a protocol.

Background: Maternal sepsis is a life-threatening condition, defined by organ dysfunction caused by infection during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. It is estimated to account for between one-tenth and half (4.7% to 13.

Smoking cessation interventions in South Asian Region: a systematic scoping review.

Background: Cigarette smoking is one of the most preventable causes of morbidities and mortalities. Since 2005, the World Health Organization Framework Convention for Tobacco Control (WHO-FCTC) provides an efficient strategic plan for tobacco control across the world. Many countries in the world have successfully reduced the prevalence of cigarette smoking.

Documenting response to COVID-individual and systems successes and challenges: a longitudinal qualitative study.

Background: This study aimed to document the evolution of perceptions of frontline healthcare workers (FHCW) regarding their well-being and the quality of health systems' response to the COVID-19 pandemic over four months in Pakistan.

Methods: We conducted this prospective longitudinal qualitative study during the four months (June-September 2020) coinciding with the peak and trough of the first wave of Pakistan's COVID-19 pandemic. We approached frontline healthcare workers (physicians and nurses) working in emergency departments (ED) in two hospitals using the WhatsApp group of the Pakistan Society of Emergency Physicians (PSEM).

Effectiveness of implementation of standard clinical pathway through healthcare professionals among acute myocardial infarction patients undergoing angiography / angioplasty in a public tertiary care hospital, Karachi.

Objective: To assess the effect of acute myocardial infarction standard clinical pathway among acute myocardial infarction patients on length of stay in public tertiary care setting.

Methods: The quasi-experimental non-randomised study was conducted at the Department of Cardiology, Dr Ruth Pfau Civil Hospital, Karachi, from September to December 2018, and comprised acute myocardial infarction patients. Those admitted before the implementation of acute myocardial infarction standard clinical pathway formed the control group, while those admitted after the implementation were in the intervention group.

Cigarette smokers' perceptions of smoking cessation and associated factors in Karachi, Pakistan.

Objectives: The study explored the perceptions of adult smokers with cardiovascular and respiratory diseases regarding cigarette smoking cessation. We also explored factors that may hinder or facilitate smoking cessation process.

Design: Qualitative descriptive exploratory design SAMPLE: Purposive sample of 13 adult smokers with cardiovascular or respiratory diseases visiting outpatient cardiac and respiratory clinics at a private tertiary care hospital MEASUREMENTS: In-depth, face-to-face, and semi-structured interviews were conducted.

Surgical outcomes and socio-demographic pattern of hypospadias patients treated in a tertiary care center in Kabul, Afghanistan.

Introduction: Hypospadias is a congenital anomaly of male external genitalia and is the second most common congenital anomaly of male newborns after cryptorchidism. Although its prevalence in Afghanistan is unknown, anecdotal evidence shows that hypospadias is an important clinical and psychosocial problem in Afghanistan. There is no data available regarding the socio-demographic pattern of the disease and age at the time of surgery in Afghanistan context.

Smoking cessation interventions in South Asian countries: protocol for scoping review.

Introduction: Unfortunately, like many other health risks, smoking rate has been on the rise in developing countries. Half of current smokers in the world reside in only three countries of Asia that include India. Many smoking cessation interventions that were developed and successfully implemented in the context of developed countries have not been equally successful in South Asia.

Understanding perceptions and factors involved in do not resuscitate (DNR) decision making in the emergency department of a low-resource country: a mixed-methods study protocol.

Introduction: Do not resuscitate (DNR) decision making is an integral component of emergency medicine practice. There is a paucity of data, protocols and guidelines regarding the perceptions and barriers that are involved in the interactions among healthcare professionals, patients and their caregivers regarding DNR decision making. The aim of this study is, therefore, to explore the perceptions and factors influencing DNR decision making in the emergency department and to evaluate the use of a context-based protocol for DNR decision making.

Association of Smokeless Tobacco Use With the Use of Other Illicit Drugs in the United States.

Background: There has been an increase in the use of smokeless tobacco recently. Whether smokeless tobacco use may predispose individuals to use other addictive substances is unknown. The use of multiple addictive substances may compound an individual's adverse health effects.

Adolescent food insecurity in rural Sindh, Pakistan: a cross-sectional survey.

Background: Food insecurity (FI) is alarmingly high in developing countries including Pakistan. A quarter of Pakistan's population consists of adolescents yet there is no information on their experience of FI. FI at adolescent age have long term effect on mental and physical health hence we aimed to determine the prevalence of food insecurity (FI) among adolescents and compare it with household FI, and assess social determinants of adolescent FI.

Psychological distress and its associated factors among informal care givers of disabled young adults with traumatic brain injuries.

Objective: To measure the psychological distress among the informal caregivers of disabled young adults with traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and to identify its associated factors.

Methods: An analytical cross sectional study was conducted with 76 informal caregivers of young adults (19 - 50 years) with TBI, using admission records of one of the tertiary care hospitals in Karachi, Pakistan from 2015 to 2016. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising a general demographic questionnaire and the General Health Questionnaire- 28.