Background:Educating and training diabetic patients is necessary for controlling and improving their health.Methods:It was Quasi-experimental study design study. The study aimed to determine the effects of health education on the achievements of diabetic patients regarding control and improvement of their health status; at Diabetic Health Centers in Khartoum State, Sudan; 2007-2010. The target populations were diabetic patients, who attended the diabetic health centers to receive their treatment. Using simple random sampling 152 patients were selected (58 males and 94 females). Before and after comparison was done. Data was processed using SPSS and pair t-test was used to determine the effect of health education. P-value equal or less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Findings:Test for before and after comparison was found to be statistically significant (p<0.05) for diabetic patients. They gained more knowledge after the implementation of the program; particularly in the areas of the nature and signs and symptoms of the disease, signs and symptoms of hypo & hyperglycemia, causes and warning signs of foot problems, foot care, and importance of exercises.Conclusion and Recommendations:Health education of diabetic patients is crucial for control of diabetes. Capacity building of diabetic health centers, strengthening diabetic patients association, and more research to study the effect of health education on diabetic patients were needed.

Background:Hypertension is emerging as an alarming public-health problem causes organ damage.Objectives:To identify prevalence of hypertension and predictor factors among rural population in four states in Sudan.Methods:A community based cross-sectional study was conducted in sixteen rural areas in Sudan during April 2012. A total of 3020 adult were interviewed using structured questionnaire and blood pressure was measured before and after the interview. Hypertension was taken as ≥ 140 mmHg and ≥ 90 mmHg for systole and diastole respectively.Analysis:Descriptive statistic was presented; Sex and mean of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were tested using ANOVA for individuals on antihypertensive medication. Predictor factors to hypertension were tested by logistic regression.Results:Prevalence of hypertension among rural population was 15.8%. Overall means of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 128.6±17.7 and 81.5±11.6 respectively while the means among hypertensive individuals was154.74 ±14.4 and 97.98±8.4 respectively Known hypertensive individuals were 20.1%; out of whom 71.7% were hypertensive and 22.4% have Target Organ Damage. Those on anti-hypertensive medications were 76.4% and normotensive were 55.1%. Individuals having both diabetes and hypertension were 3.3% and 80.2% were hypertensive. Log regression model showed age, smoking, diabetes and family hypertension were predictors of hypertension by 3.6%, 34.9%, 49.7% and 56.8% respectively (P-value <0.05).Conclusion:Prevalence of hypertension among rural Sudan was 15.8%. Family history was the strongest predictor of hypertension.

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Background:HBV is second to tobacco as a known human carcinogen and the 10th leading cause of death worldwide.Objectives:To examine the socio-demographic characteristics of health care workers and hepatitis B virus in Public Teaching Hospitals in Khartoum State, Sudan, in 2004.Methods:It was an observational, cross sectional, facility-based study. A total of 843 subjects were selected. It was conducted through multistage cluster sampling. The clustering was based on: type of hospital (Federal or State) and degree of exposure (type of department). For the analysis, Z-test for single proportion and some non-parametric tests such as Chi-Square test were used.Results:Among the 843 subjects tested for HBV markers (Anti-HBc, HBsAg, HBsAb, and HBeAg), the prevalence of Anti-HBc, HBsAg, HBsAb, and HBeAg was found to be 57%, 6%, 37% and 9% respectively. Seroprevalence of all HBV markers was found to be statistically significant with demographic factors (P<0.05).Conclusion:Infection rate, carrier rate and a profile of high infectivity rate were found to be high. The immunity rate was low. There is a significant association between HBV markers and socio-demographic characteristics. Highest rate of infection was found in State Hospitals, South and West regions, married HCWs and HCWs of age group 30-49.

Background: Health-care workers are having highest probability of being infected with HBV.Objective: To determine conditional probability of sero-prevalence of hepatitis B virus markers among health care workers in White Nile State, Sudan. Methods:A cross sectional study design with analytical approach was used. Three hundred eighty five health care workers were selected randomly. An interview was carried using a pre-tested questionnaire and five ml venous blood samples were consented. Blood samples were tested for Anti-HB core total, HBsAg and HBeAg. Conditional probabilities of being a carrier and highly infective were calculated regarding departments, occupation of HCWs, marital status and working duration in hospital.Results: Out of the total study population, 230 (59.7%) were positive for anti-HB core total. Out of 230 HCWs, 62 (27.1%) were positive for HBsAg. Out of 62 HCWs, 29 (46.8%) were positive for HBeAg. In overall, 16% of study population was carriers and 7.5% were highly infective. HCWs in surgical and Obstetrics & gynaecology had 0.50 conditional probability of being carriers and highly infective. Laboratory technicians had 0.64 conditional probability of being carriers and highly infective. HCWs with working duration in hospitals up to 5 years had 0.63 probability of being carriers and highly infective. Conclusion:Prevalence and conditional probabilities of HBV markers among health care worker in White Nile State were high. HCWs in Surgical and Obstetrics & gynaecology, Laboratory technicians and HCWs with working duration up to 5 years are carriers and highly infective. Periodical screening and vaccination of HCWs are recommended.