EPIDEMOLOGY AND BIOSTATISTICS

 

 

Publication Record

 

Kulczycki, A., and P. C. Saxena. 1999. New evidence on fertility transition through wartime in Lebanon. GENUS 55 (384):131-152.

Navaneetham, K., and P. C. Saxena. 1999. Multivariate graphical methods for characterizing development. Demography India 28 (1):111-122.

Sibai, A. M., and H. K. Armenian. 2000. Long-term psychosocial stress and heart disease. International Journal of Epidemiology 29:948

Sibai, A. M., A. Fletcher, M. Hills, and O. Cambpell. 2001. Non-communicable disease mortality rates using the verbal autopsy in a cohort of middle-aged and older populations in Beirut during wartime, 1983-93. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health 55:271-6.

 

 

 

Abstracts, Conferences, and Proceedings

 

Chaaya, M., J. Awwad, O. Campbel, and A. Kaddour. July 2000. Smoking in pregnancy. Roundtable discussion on reproductive health research in Lebanon. Faculty of Health Sciences, Beirut, Lebanon.

Chaaya, M., and O. Campbell. August 1999. Postpartum depression: Prevalence and risk factors. The International Epidemiological Association XV International Scientific Meeting, Florence, Italy.

Kulczycki, A., and P. C. Saxena. March 2000. New evidence on fertility transition through wartime in Lebanon. 2000 Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America (PAA), Los Angeles, California, USA.

Merhi, M., and P. C. Saxena. March 2001. Type of female circumcision and fertility transition among Sudanese women—A study based on cohort and period parity progression ratios. 2001 Annual Meeting of the Population Association of America (PAA), Washington DC, USA.

 

 

Graduate Theses and Projects

 

Abu Rafeh, A. February 2001. Correlates of bone mineral density in Lebanese patients: A study at a tertiary referral center (AUBMC), 1999. P. C. Saxena, Gh. E. Fuleihan, and M. Chaaya.

Abumrad, T. J. February 2001. Understanding the attitudes of Beirut adults towards patient autonomy. P. C. Saxena and A. Sibai.

Chbaklo, R. August 2000. Characteristics of the Lebanese labor force, 1970-2000 (with special reference to employment). P. C. Saxena.

Faour, T. A. February 2001. Women's empowerment in Lebanon: Proxies, settings and challenges. P. C. Saxena.

Ghandour, L. June 2000. Mental health effects of war on chlidren: The Grapes of Wrath operation. M. Chaaya.

Ghandour, L. August 2000. Rapid situation assessment of major depression in Lebanon. M. Chaaya.

Kobeissi, L. January 2001. Water contamination and diarrheal diseases. M. Chaaya.

Rahhal, B. June 2001. Factors related to improper weight management. A. Sibai and M. Chaaya.

Rahhal, B. June 2001. Patient satistifaction with PCC (patient-centered care) at AUBMC. M. Chaaya.

 

 

 

Research Projects

 

Smoking in pregnancy

This cross-sectional study assesses the prevalence and determinants of smoking during pregnancy in Lebanon. A total of 584 women delivering in 11 hospitals in the capital and its suburbs were interviewed 24 hours postpartum using a structured instrument and the 12-item GHQ. Chaaya, M., J. Awwad, O. Campbell, and A. Kaddour.

Supported by Mellon Foundation
Completed or in progress at AUB

 

Mental health of Lebanese prisoners of war

A cross-sectional study of Lebanese released prisoners who were detained
in Jkhiam detention centers. The study assesses different aspects of mental and physical health and their determinants. Saab, B., M. Chaaya, L. Farhood, and M. Dounmit.
 
Supported by AUB Medical Practice Plan
Completed or in progress at AUB

 

A comparative study of the demographic and health situation in selected Arab countries

 

West Asia, and to some extent North Africa, have been relatively under-represented in the demographic and health literature. This is mainly due to the lack of available data on population and health characteristics. Now, this situation is changing as Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Pan-Arab Project for Child Development (PAPCHILD) as well as the 1996 Population and Housing Survey (PHS) in Lebanon have provided a wealth of information on the region's demographic and health characteristics. Using these data sets, the present study takes stock of the changes taking place within the selected four countries of the Arab region, namely, Egypt, Lebanon, Sudan, and Yemen, in their basic demographic characteristics, family planning and other areas of social and health concerns. The choice of these countries has been mainly governed by the availability of databases. Saxena, P. (PL), and A. Kulczycki.

 

Supported by URB

Completed or in progress at AUB

 

Burden of disease study-validity component

The study is a WHO-funded project and is part of the Global Burden of Disease Initiative.
It aims at evaluating the accuracy of the cause of death structure derived from interviews with next-of-kin of the deceased by comparing them with a gold standard, namely, the hospital medical records.

Results of this study will allow us to set guidelines for conducting future national studies on mortality structure in the country and to improve the quality of information recorded on death certificates. Sibai, A., and I. Nuwayhid.

Supported by WHO
Completed or in progress at AUB

 

Death certification in Lebanon

The aim of the study is to assess completeness of data on death certificates registered in the country over the past 25 years, and to examine factors associated with the non-reporting of the underlying cause of death. A systematic sample (20%) of death certificates (n=2607) covering five registration periods (1974, 1984, 1994, 1997, and 1998) was reviewed for certification practices and missing responses. Results indicate variations in completion of data reporting by certain demographic characteristics of the deceased as well as administrative regulations governing the certification process.  Such variations affect national mortality estimates and introduce a source of bias in epidemiological studies using vital statistics to ascertain cause of death. Sibai, A. and I. Nuwayhid.

Supported by URB
Completed or in progress at AUB

 

The impact of traumatic injury-related disability on families and the state in Lebanon and Palestine

This project is a multi-disciplinary study conducted in collaboration with researchers from England, France, and Palestine.  The study consists of three phases: screening for disability in the community, assessment of causes and impairments associated with the different types of disability, and psychological morbidity associated with war-related injuries and exposures.  Field work and preliminary analysis of the data have already been completed. Sibai, A., K. Sen, M. Khlat, and M. Sansur.

Supported by European Economic Commission, Brussels
Completed or in progress at AUB

 

Health consequences of population change in Beirut, Lebanon

It is a program of research focusing on Beirut, specifically examining the demographic, social, economic, and environmental factors affecting the health of people. Zurayk, H., M. Chaaya, J. Makhoul, and A. Khlalidi.

Supported by Mellon Foundation
Completed or in progress at AUB