Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs): Usage and co-prescription with other potentially interacting drugs in elderly: A cross-sectional study.

Globally, usage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in elderly with chronic pain has been reported as frequent. Though NSAIDs are fundamental in maintaining their quality of life, the risk of polypharmacy, drug interactions and adverse effects is of paramount importance as the elderly usually require multiple medications for their co-morbidities. If prescriptions are not appropriately monitored and managed, they are likely to expose patients to serious drug interactions and potentially fatal adverse effects.

Undesirable Postoperative Anesthesia Outcomes at Two National Referral Hospitals: A Cross-Sectional Study in Eritrea.

Background: Postoperative undesirable anesthesia outcomes are common among patients undergoing surgery. They may affect body systems and lead into more serious postoperative problems. This research is conducted in the Eritrean National Referral Hospitals with the aim of assessing the prevalence of undesirable anesthesia outcomes during the postoperative period.

Pathology and pathogenicity of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).

The current survey of studies outlines the direct and indirect effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the specific body systems and summarizes the SARS-CoV-2 main pathogenicity mechanisms that require attention during patient hospitalization and for further research.

Met and unmet blood demand, recipients profiles and associated trends in Eritrea.

Objective: To estimate Eritrean national blood demand and demand satisfaction and to assess the associated trend of blood and blood products usage.

Background: Estimating blood demand to determine collection goals is a challenge in many low-income countries, including Eritrea.

Methodology: This study was a 5-year survey of a representative sample of hospitals and was conducted in the National Blood Transfusion Center of Eritrea.

Maternal Satisfaction and Its Associated Factors towards Spinal Anesthesia for Caesarean Section: A Cross-Sectional Study in Two Eritrean Hospitals.

Objective: Satisfaction of mothers during caesarean section is an important indicator for measuring quality of obstetric anesthesia. This study aimed to determine mothers' level of satisfaction and the predicting factors of dissatisfaction towards spinal anesthesia during caesarean section.

Methods: Cross-sectional study design was utilized in Orotta Maternity Hospital (OMH) and Sembel Hospital from December 2017 to February 2018, in Asmara, Eritrea.

Factors Associated with Poor Glycemic and Lipid Levels in Ambulatory Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Patients in Asmara, Eritrea: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: There is a dearth of relevant research on the rapidly evolving epidemic of diabetes mellitus (particularly Type 2 diabetes mellitus) in sub-Saharan Africa. To address some of these issues in the Eritrean context, we conducted a cross-sectional study on glycemic and lipid profiles and associated risk factors.

Methods: A total of 309 patients with diabetes mellitus on regular follow-up at the Diabetic and Hypertensive Department at Halibet Regional Referral Hospital, Asmara, were enrolled for the study.

Neonatal mortality and associated factors in the specialized neonatal care unit Asmara, Eritrea.

Background: Limited knowledge on the magnitude of neonatal mortality and associated factors is hampering early intervention in African countries.

Objective: To determine neonatal mortality and associated factors in the Specialized Neonatal Care Unit Asmara, Eritrea.

Methods: Medical records of all neonates admitted to the Specialized Neonatal Care Unit in 2016 were reviewed using a cross-sectional study.

Emergency nurses´ knowledge, attitude and perceived barriers regarding pain Management in Resource-Limited Settings: cross-sectional study.

Background: Pain is a common phenomenon among emergency patients which may lead to chronic pain conditions and alteration of physiological function. However, it is widely reported that proper pain assessment and management, which is often accomplished by adequately trained nurses reduce the suffering of patients. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the emergency nurses´ knowledge, attitude and perceived barriers regarding pain management.

Prescribing practices using WHO prescribing indicators and factors associated with antibiotic prescribing in six community pharmacies in Asmara, Eritrea: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Antibiotics require more prudent prescribing, dispensing and administration than other medicines because these medicines are at a greater risk of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Studying the current medicine use practices and factors affecting the prescribing of an antibiotic would help decision makers to draft policies that would enable a more rational use of medicines.

Methods: A prospective, descriptive, and cross-sectional study was conducted to assess the current prescribing practices including antibiotics use in six community pharmacies in Asmara.

Patient satisfaction with peri-operative anesthesia care and associated factors at two National Referral Hospitals: a cross sectional study in Eritrea.

Background: Measuring patient satisfaction has become an important parameter of the continuous quality assessment and improvement in anaesthesia services. The aim of this study was to assess the level of patient satisfaction with perioperative anaesthesia care and to determine the factors that influence satisfaction.

Method: This study is an cross sectional design, conducted on 470 patients who underwent different types of surgeries at two National Referral Hospitals in Asmara, Eritrea between January and March of 2018.

Practice scope and job confidence of two-year trained optometry technicians in Eritrea.

Background: A two-year optometry technician (OT) training was started in Eritrea in 2009 to fulfill the immediate human resource needs in providing refractive, dispensing and primary eye care services in vision centers. This study aimed to assess the current practice pattern and confidence level among the OTs.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire was developed and administered to all available OTs in January 2017.

Factors determining choice of place of delivery: analytical cross-sectional study of mothers in Akordet town, Eritrea.

Background: In Eritrea, facility delivery rates show great discrepancy within urban centers. This study was conducted in Akordet, a multi-cultural lowland town of Gash-Barka Region, aiming at assessing the factors influencing facility delivery.

Methods: A community based analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among a total of 282 mothers who gave birth within the 2 years preceding the data collection time.

Risk Factors of Gout in MDR-TB Patients in Eritrea: A Case-Control Study.

Though the incidence of gout in general population is less than 5% (globally), a study conducted in Eritrea among patients with multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) revealed a higher incidence (25%). Other similar studies conducted elsewhere, however, did not report gout as an adverse effect. It is unknown why a higher incidence of gout is being reported in Eritrea compared to similar studies from other countries.

Prevalence of self-medication with antibiotics and associated factors in the community of Asmara, Eritrea: a descriptive cross sectional survey.

Background: Development of drug resistance caused by self-medication with antibiotics, can be seen as one of the growing global threats. Self-medication is defined as the selection and use of medicines by individuals to treat self-recognized illnesses or symptoms. The purpose of this study is to assess the practice of self-medication with antibiotics and associated factors among the community of Asmara, Eritrea.

Evaluation of ceftriaxone use in the medical ward of Halibet National Referral and teaching hospital in 2017 in Asmara, Eritrea: a cross sectional retrospective study.

Background: Antibiotic resistance due to overuse of antimicrobials is an issue that has been of concern to many health institutions and society in general. Resistant infections have high impact in low income countries since they can't afford more recent and expensive antibiotics. Studies that evaluate antibiotic use in hospitals are scarce in Eritrea.

Malaria Risk Stratification and Modeling the Effect of Rainfall on Malaria Incidence in Eritrea.

Background: Malaria risk stratification is essential to differentiate areas with distinct malaria intensity and seasonality patterns. The development of a simple prediction model to forecast malaria incidence by rainfall offers an opportunity for early detection of malaria epidemics.

Objectives: To construct a national malaria stratification map, develop prediction models and forecast monthly malaria incidences based on rainfall data.

Nature and prevalence of adverse drug reaction of antiretroviral medications in Halibet National Referral Hospital: a retrospective study.

Background: Monitoring the safety of antiretroviral therapy (ART) remains a challenge in resource-constrained countries such as Eritrea due to their serious adverse drug reactions (ADRs). This study was aimed at assessing the prevalence, nature, seriousness and possible risk factors of ART associated ADRs in Halibet National Referral Hospital in Eritrea.

Method: A three month retrospective, longitudinal, descriptive study of patients treated with ART between September 2005 and December 2016 was conducted in Halibet National Referral Hospital.

Seroprevalence of transfusion transmitted infections among blood donors in Gash Barka Zonal Blood Transfusion Center, Barentu, Eritrea, 2014 through 2017.

Background: Transfusion-transmissible infections pose a major health risk in developing countries, including Eritrea. In the present study, we sought to determine the prevalence of specific transfusion transmitted infections (TTIs) and the associated risk factors among blood donors at a newly established regional blood transfusion center in Barentu, Eritrea.

Methods: The seroprevalence of markers for specific TTIs by sex, age, educational status, residence, occupation, and donor type was evaluated for donors who donated blood between July 2014 and April 2017.

Methicillin-Resistant (MRSA): Prevalence and Antimicrobial Sensitivity Pattern among Patients-A Multicenter Study in Asmara, Eritrea.

Background: Methicillin-resistant (MRSA) is a well-recognized public health problem throughout the world. The evolution of new genetically distinct community-acquired and livestock-acquired MRSA and extended resistance to other non--lactams including vancomycin has only amplified the crisis. This paper presents data on the prevalence of MRSA and resistance pattern to other antibiotics on the selected specimen from two referral hospitals in Asmara, Eritrea.

Self medication practice and associated factors among students of Asmara College of Health Sciences, Eritrea: a cross sectional study.

Background: Self-medication is a common practice globally and the resulting irrational drug use is raising concerns. Up-to-date there is no systematic study conducted on self medication practice among students or the general community in Eritrea. The present study aimed to determine the prevalence of self-medication practice and its influencing factors among students of Asmara College of Health Science.

Self-medication with over the counter drugs, prevalence of risky practice and its associated factors in pharmacy outlets of Asmara, Eritrea.

Background: Although over the counter (OTC) drugs are believed to be relatively safe, their inappropriate use could have serious implications. The aim of the study was to assess the practice of self-medication, prevalence of risky practice and its associated factors in pharmacy outlets of Asmara, Eritrea.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 609 customers in 20 pharmacy outlets in Asmara between August and September, 2017.

Assessment of inpatient antibiotic use in Halibet National Referral Hospital using WHO indicators: a retrospective study.

Objective: Inappropriate use of antibiotics in primary care and hospital settings is a major contributing factor to the spread of antibiotic resistance. Many microorganisms were tested in Eritrea and have proven resistant to ampicillin. The aim of this study was to investigate the prescription pattern, hospital indicator and patient care indicator of antibiotics among hospitalized patients in Halibet National Referral Hospital, Asmara, Eritrea.

Attitude towards Mental Illness among Secondary School Students in Asmara, Eritrea: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Secondary School students (SSs) are important members of the community; hence their attitude towards mental illness can be highly influential. Mentally ill individuals are not only suffering from the illness but also suffering from the stigmatizing attitude generated by the community. The objectives of this study were to determine attitude of SSs towards mental illness and its associated factors.

Validation of the WHO self-reporting questionnaire-20 (SRQ-20) item in primary health care settings in Eritrea.

Background: In Eritrea, highly centralized mental health care services and lack of trained psychiatric personnel at primary health care units remain a challenge to the mental health care system. These problems can be minimized by introducing screening programs with a simple screening tool for mental disorders in the primary health care settings. Thus, this study aimed to assess the validity of the WHO self-reporting questionnaire 20 (SRQ-20) in Tigrigna version for use in Eritrean primary health care setting.

Health facility or home delivery? Factors influencing the choice of delivery place among mothers living in rural communities of Eritrea.

Background: In Eritrea, despite high antenatal care (ANC) use, utilization of health facilities for child birth is still low and with marked variations between urban and rural areas. Understanding the reasons behind the poor use of these services in a rural setting is important to design targeted strategies and address the challenge contextually. This study aimed to determine factors that influence women's choice of delivery place in selected rural communities in Eritrea.