ObjectiveThe main objective of the present study is to examine the relationship between perceived social support and the quality of sleep and to determine the predictors of sleep quality in a sample of patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) in Somalia.MethodsA sample of 200 patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who were undergoing hemodialysis treatment approximately two to three times a week were included. All participants were administered a sociodemographic data form, the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Patients undergoing HD for less than 3 months prior to the study date were excluded.ResultsOf the patients undergoing hemodialysis, 200 patients aged between 18 and 68 years (mean = 52.29; SD = 14.13) gave consent and participated in the study. Sixty-three subjects (31.5%) reported poor sleep quality, defined as having a total PSQI score > 5. Forty-one subjects (20.5%) reported clinically significant (moderate-to-severe) insomnia. The majority of our patients undergoing HD reported remarkably high family support, but low friends and significant other support. Poor sleep quality significantly correlated with perceived friends’ support and perceived total social support. While perceived family support significantly correlated with both family income and the duration of chronic kidney disease (CKD), perceived friends’ support significantly correlated with age and family income. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that perceived family support and friends’ support were significant predictors of poor sleep quality. Perceived friends’ support was a significant predictor of insomnia severity. Perceived family support was a significant predictor of subjective sleep quality and sleep duration. Perceived friends’ support was a significant predictor of subjective sleep quality, sleep duration, sleep latency, sleep disturbance, and daytime dysfunction. Family income was a significant predictor of sleep duration. Age and gender were significant predictors of sleep efficiency. The duration of CKD and duration of HD were significant predictors of sleep disturbance.ConclusionThis present study has highlighted the value of family as a principal support system in Somalian culture. Understanding the impact of perceived social support on the quality of sleep in patients undergoing HD will help healthcare providers and social services to focus on and improve the social support systems of the patients as an integral part of their treatment.

436 Surgical Science had a considerably higher frequency of big GBS (5 mm) (P 0.015). Conclusion: In this study, it was discovered that females were significantly more likely than males to have GBS. Small stones were found much more frequently in the males. When compared to men, females had a considerably higher frequency of large GBS.

Abstract Objective: Diagnostic investigations using radiation have become a critical feature of medical practice in recent times, and the possibility of doctors’ underestimation of over-exposure risks to patients from diagnostic radiation is a matter of concern. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate medical doctors’ awareness of radiation exposure in selected diagnostic radiology centers in Mogadishu. Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of the awareness of doctors about radiation exposure in diagnostic radiology investigations in Somalia. Online questionnaires were distributed to 200 medical doctors working in 3 state and 7 private hospitals in Mogadishu. The study was conducted online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our data analysis was descriptive with a quantitative method, with univariate level analysis only for all variables. Results: Of the 200 participants, 62% had no formal training on radiation exposure. 86% of our respondents had no idea of the quantity of radiation. Whereas only 10.5% of our respondents correctly estimated the quantity of radiation. Conclusion: As a result of the high rate of poor awareness of radiation risks observed in the study, it is important that the Somali Ministry of Health and state-level health ministries must guarantee and implement appropriate radiological examination guidelines and national radiation policies and apply it to all levels of healthcare services.

Transient global amnesia (TGA) is a neurological syndrome that was initially discovered in 1956 by Bender 1 and simultaneously but independently of Courjon and Guyotat. 2 It is defined as a sudden onset anterograde amnesia that lasts up to 24 h. Despite the mild subclinical neuropsychological impairment, it may persist for days after the episode. 3,4 Transient global amnesia predominantly affects middle-aged or elderly patients. The incidence of TGA is approximately 2.9-10/100,000 worldwide. It is also more common in people living with migraine. 5,6 Diagnosis of TGA is based on the exclusion of all potential etiologies that may present a similar pattern. The criteria of a TGA diagnosis include the presence of a witness during the attacks, cognitive impairment limited to