Browsing by Author "Nourhan M. Aly"

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    Open Access
    Associations between a history of sexual abuse and dental anxiety, caries experience and oral hygiene status among adolescents in sub-urban South West Nigeria
    (BMC Oral Health, 2021) Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan; Maha El Tantawi; Nourhan M. Aly; Abiola Adetokunbo Adeniyi; Elizabeth Oziegbe; Olaniyi Arowolo; Michael Alade; Boladale Mapayi; Nneka Maureen Chukwumah; Olakunle Oginni; Nadia A. Sam-Agudu
    Abstract Introduction: Sexual and oral health are important areas of focus for adolescent wellbeing. We assessed for the prevalence of sexual abuse among adolescents, oral health factors associated with this history, and investigated whether sexual abuse was a risk indicator for dental anxiety, caries experience and poor oral hygiene. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted between December 2018 and January 2019 among adolescents 10–19 years old in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Survey data collected included respondents’ age, sex, and socioeconomic status, oral health risk factors (dental anxiety, frequency of tooth brushing intake of refined carbohydrates in between meals, fossing, dental visits, smoking, alcohol intake, use of psychoactive substances), caries experience, oral hygiene status, history of sexual abuse, and sexual risk behaviors (age of sexual debut, history of transactional sex, last sexual act with or without condom, multiple sex partners). Regression models were constructed to determine the association between outcome variables (dental anxiety, presence of caries experience and poor oral hygiene) and explanatory variables (oral health risk factors and history of sexual abuse). Results: The prevalence of sexual abuse in our cohort was 5.9%: 4.3% among males and 7.9% among females. A history of sexual abuse was associated with alcohol consumption (p=0.009), cigarette smoking (p=0.001), and a history of transactional sex (p=0.01). High/severe dental anxiety was significantly associated with increased odds of a history of sexual abuse (AOR=1.81; 95% CI 1.10, 2.98), but not with caries experience (AOR=0.66; 95% CI 0.15, 2.97) nor poor oral hygiene (AOR=1.68; 95% CI 0.95, 2.96). Dental anxiety was associated with increased odds of alcohol intake (AOR=1.74; 95% CI 1.19, 2.56), twice daily tooth brushing (AOR=1.48; 95% CI 1.01, 2.17) and daily consumption of refined carbohydrates in-between-meals (AOR=2.01; 95% CI 1.60, 2.54). Caries experience was associated with increased odds of using psychoactive substances (AOR=4.83; 95% CI 1.49, 15.62) and having low socioeconomic status (AOR=0.40; 95% CI 0.18, 0.92). Poor oral hygiene was associated with increased odds of having middle socio‑economic status (AOR=1.43; 95% CI 1.05, 1.93) and daily consumption of refined carbohydrates in-between-meals (AOR=1.38; 95% CI 1.08, 1.78).
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    Open Access
    Sex differences in the experience of COVID-19 post-traumatic stress symptoms by adults in South Africa
    (BMC Psychiatry, 2022) Ntombifuthi P. Nzimande; Maha El Tantawi; Roberto Ariel Abeldaño Zuñiga; Richmond Opoku-Sarkodie; Brandon Brown; Oliver C. Ezechi; Benjamin S. C. Uzochukwu; Passent Ellakany; Nourhan M. Aly; Annie Lu Nguyen; Morenike Oluwatoyin Folayan
    Background The COVID-19 pandemic has created multiple mental health challenges. Many residents in South Africa face pre-existing elevated levels of stress and the pandemic may have had varying impacts on sub-populations. The aims of this study were to determine: 1) the factors associated with post-traumatic stress symptoms (PTSS) and 2) sex differences in the factors associated with PTSS in adults residing in South Africa during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Study participants aged 18 years and above, were recruited for this cross-sectional study through an online survey implemented from June 29, 2020 to December 31, 2020. The outcome variable was PTSS; explanatory variables were sex at birth, COVID-19 status, social isolation and access to emotional support. Confounders considered were age, education level completed and current work status. Logistic regressions were used to determine the association between the outcome and explanatory variables Outcomes There were 489 respondents. Among all respondents, those who were older (AOR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.95 – 0.99) and had access to emotional support from family and relatives (AOR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.14 – 0.53) had significantly lower odds of PTSS. Respondents who felt socially isolated had higher odds of PTSS (AOR: 1.17; 95% CI: 1.08 – 1.27). Females had higher PTSS scores and higher odds of PTSS compared to males (AOR: 2.18; 95% CI: 1.41-3.39). Females (AOR: 0.27; 95% CI: 0.08 – 0.95) and males (AOR: 0.26; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.59) who had access to emotional support had significantly lower odds of PTSS than those who had no support. Females (AOR: 1.15; 95% CI: 1.04 -1.27) and males (AOR: 1.19; 95% CI: 0.11, 0.59) who felt socially isolated had higher odds of PTSS compared to those who did not feel socially isolated. Interpretation Compared to males, females had higher scores and higher odds of reporting PTSS during the COVID-19 pandemic. Access to emotional support ameliorated the odds of having PTSS for both sexes, while feeling socially isolated worsened the odds for both sexes.