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Objectives The current study explores the level of perceived social stigma and associated psychological challenges among healthcare workers during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in Egypt. Methods This was a cross-sectional study of 150 healthcare workers at Cairo University hospitals that were confirmed positive for COVID-19 infection. Participants were interviewed for assessment of perceived COVID-19-related stigma and associated psychological symptoms using the Patient Health Questionnaire for depression, the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Assessment for anxiety, and the Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for post-traumatic stress symptoms. Results Two-thirds of participants perceived moderate-to-severe COVID-19-related stigma. Depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress symptoms were observed at varying levels in 58.0%, 38.0%, and 11.3% of participants, respectively. Female sex and occupation as a nurse were significantly associated with the total perceived COVID-19-related stigma score. COVID-19-related stigma perception significantly correlated with depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress. Conclusion Perceived social stigma prevails among healthcare workers and is associated with numerous psychological disturbances.

Background and Purpose Irrational use of drugs for self-medication (SM) is a worldwide public health problem which results in treatment failure, economic loss, and increased burden of morbidity and mortality. Thus, the purpose of this study was to explore SM with antifungal drugs and herbal products among university students in Egypt. Methods A cross-sectional sectional study was conducted over 7 months among 403 university students in Egypt. The students were invited to complete a self-administered questionnaire through an online Google form. Questionnaire items included socio-demographic characteristics of the students, practice of and attitude towards SM with antifungal drugs, and SM with herbal products. Results Prevalence of SM with antifungal drugs among students stood at 38.2%. The main reasons for SM with antifungal drugs were perceiving their health problem as being minimal, followed by having fears of a doctor’s visit. About 73% of the students thought that SM was not a safe practice. Older age (AOR = 1.5, 95% CI= 1.3–1.8), affiliation to a private university (AOR = 3.7, 95% CI= 2.2–6.4), and being a medical student (AOR =2.4, 95% CI= 1.3–4.5) were the significant predictors of SM with antifungal drugs. A high prevalence of SM with herbal products (70.7%) was reported, with most students having used some form of herbal weight loss preparation (64%). Being a Cairo resident (AOR= 2.4, 95% CI =1.5–3.8, P<0.05) and being a medical student (AOR= 2.1, 95% CI =1.3–3.4, P<0.05) were the significant predictors of SM with herbal products. Conclusion In the current study, SM was common among Egyptian university students. Providing counseling and public health education to university students with regards to SM is crucial. Implementing strict regulations and the full enforcement of excitant laws pertaining to the use of medication supplies is also needed. Herbal products should face the scrutiny of evidence-based medicine. Further studies are needed to evaluate the impact of SM among university students.

Objectives Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) is a common valvular abnormality accounting for 2% of the population. There is a reported association between pes planus (PP) and MVP in some syndromes such as Marfan. However, this association has not been tested in non-syndromic cases. The primary outcome of this study is to measure the prevalence of MVP in a population of patients with PP. The secondary outcome parameter is to determine if the Meary angle (MA), a measure of the severity of flat foot, can be effectively used in the prediction of the presence of MVP. Forty-one patients with PP were screened using a lateral x-ray foot to determine MA while echocardiography was utilized to identify the presence and grade of MVP. Results 88% of screened patients were diagnosed with MVP. MA was correlated with the grade of MVP and showed high diagnostic accuracy (sensitivity 100% and specificity 90%) in predicting MVP risk when higher than 5. Children with PP are at a higher risk for MVP than the general population. Accordingly, the utilization of MA in such a specific population for the determination of patients at a higher need for echocardiography seems to be a worthwhile strategy in diagnosing MVP.

Background: Children are the world’s real treasures; they should be cherished, well raised and given the chance to develop properly. Some of them in different countries all over the world are suffering from different forms of specific learning disorders, which can be extremely frustrating the school child especially if associated with parental high emotional expression. Objectives: The purpose of the study is to identify the relation between emotional expressions (EE) of parents and anxiety rate in their children with specific learning disorders (SLDs), and its correlation with serum cortisol level of the children. The effect of parental educational counseling program (PECP) on anxiety rate of children and parental emotional expression was studied. Methods: The study was carried out on 140 children with SLD to evaluate their anxiety rate by using Taylor anxiety scale of children, and measuring serum cortisol level. Data were collected from parents by emotional expression scale (EES). Taylor anxiety scale and EES were repeated for children and parents after conducting sessions of PECP. Results: Results of Taylor anxiety scale showed that 60% of studied children were suffering from morbid anxiety. Results of EES showed that 80% of parents were practicing high emotional expression. Scores of children on Taylor anxiety scale demonstrated significant drop from 33.06±10.4 to 25.85±10.4 after applying the intervention (P < 0.001). More than two thirds of parents became practicing low EE after receiving sessions of the interventional program PECP. Scores of parents on EES showed significant drop from 61.31±16.84 to 36.51±13.89 after PECP (P < 0.001). A statistically significant positive correlation between scores of Taylor anxiety scale and EES before PECP was found (R = 0.533), and also after PECP (R = 0.309). Average level of serum cortisol of children with SLD was 8.973+1.784 mcg/dl, and it was significantly higher in boys than girls (P < 0.05). Serum cortisol level of studied children was higher in children with morbid and severe anxiety (P < 0.001). Cortisol levels of children were significantly higher in those whose parents were practicing high EE. Serum cortisol level of children revealed positive correlation with each of their scores on Taylor anxiety scale (R = 0.771) and scores of parents on EES (R = 0.468). Conclusion: Results of this study proved presence of direct relation between anxiety in school children with specific learning disorders and high emotional expressions of their parents. Results concluded effectiveness of PECP in management of children’s anxiety and parental emotional expression. Key words: Specific learning disorders, Emotional expression, Anxiety disorder, Serum cortisol level.