Publications by authors named "Walha A"

Article Synopsis
  • A study investigated antibiotic prescriptions for acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs) in Tunisia, covering 63 primary care offices and 6 emergency departments over 8 months.
  • Out of nearly 13,000 screened patients, almost 9,900 were included, with a majority diagnosed with acute bronchitis, and antibiotics prescribed were mainly penicillins and fluoroquinolones.
  • The study found that a significant 75.5% of antibiotic prescriptions were inappropriate, particularly in patients with bronchitis, largely due to criteria like cost and indications for use.
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The spread of COVID-19 has affected more than 200 countries and has caused serious public health concerns. The infected cases are on the increase despite the effectiveness of the vaccines. An efficient and quick surveillance system for COVID-19 can help healthcare decision-makers to contain the virus spread.

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Introduction: Frail older adults are at an increased risk for adverse outcomes after an Emergency Department (ED) visit. Several tools exist for the screening of frailty among these patients. However, no tool has been validated in Tunisia.

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Objective: To identify prenatal, perinatal and postnatal risk factors in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by comparing them to their siblings without autistic disorders.

Method: The present study is cross sectional and comparative. It was conducted over a period of three months (July-September 2014).

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Background: Frequency, social impact, the negative effects of ADHD on personal development, make it a public health problem. Tunisian existing data confirm its frequency and severity in clinical population. The absence of data in student population has led us to develop this work.

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Objectives: Consanguinity is common in Tunisia. However, little information exists on its impact on recessive disorders. In this study, we evaluate the impact of consanguineous marriages on the occurrence of some specific autosomal recessive disorders and consider how other factors, such as population substructure and mutation frequency, may be of equal importance in disease prevalence.

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Unlabelled: Use of the Internet in Tunisian society and especially among teenagers has increased in recent years. While the use of Internet is primarily intended for research and communication, the Internet has also become an important part of teenager's life. Most people use the Internet in healthy and productive ways.

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Introduction: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent behavioral disorder particularly noticed among school children. It is often associated with other psychological troubles at the origin of an additional difficulty that has to be overcome.

Objective: Our research's aim was to study the comorbidity of school-aged children diagnosed with ADHD in Sfax, Tunisia.

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Objectives: The multidimensional aspect of the concept of impulsivity is proven by the composite structure of the rating scales of impulsivity. Several studies have already found correlations between trait-impulsivity and externalizing disorders. However, the studies interested in the relationship between trait-impulsivity and internalizing problems are rare.

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Background: Bipolar disorders in adolescence are of a great importance, partly because of the relapsing character of this disorder and its impact in terms of psychosocial adjustment. aim: To study the evolution of bipolar disorders in adolescents.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive and retrospective survey on 30 adolescents followed in the child and adolescent psychiatry department of Sfax for bipolar disorders diagnosed according to the DSM-IV TR criteria.

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A descriptive transversal study was carried out by the child psychiatry and neonatology team of Hedi-Chaker General Hospital in Sfax, Tunisia. Its aim was to study the methods and circumstances of the announcement of a disability confirmed during the infant's first days of life. The results of the study show that when the announcement is made by an experienced, trained team, and in favourable conditions, it leads to better acceptance of the disability by the parents.

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Background: In adolescents diagnosed with depressive disorders, psychiatric comorbidity is rather the rule than the exception.

Aim: To find the prevalence of the association between depression in adolescents and other psychiatric disorders and second and to study the different mental disorders comorbid to depression.

Methods: We conducted a descriptive, retrospective and analytic survey carried on 77 subjects having been followed in the child psychiatry department of Sfax for depressive disorders diagnosed according to the DSM-IV TR criteria during a period of 9 years (from January 1st 1998 till 31st December 2006)

Results: 49.

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A retrospective study over seven years shows a high frequency of underlying psychological dimensions to enuresis, mainly regressive and passive, but also aggressive and erotic. It is therefore important to understand the meaning of this symptom and to take into account, in the treatment, underlying affective disorders.

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The persistent and unexplained crying of newborns, attributed to colic, is a frequent problem in paediatrics. Usually considered harmless, it can however have consequences on the baby's behaviour and emotional regulation. Moreover, mothers often misinterpret the crying.

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