| 1. |
- Policastro, Francesca, et al.
(författare)
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Adaptation, Validity, and Reliability of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq
- 2023
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Ingår i: Healthcare. - : MDPI. - 2227-9032. ; 11:4
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: The Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) is widely used for detecting and screening depression in Iraq. However, no psychometric assessment has been performed on any Iraqi version. This study aims at studying the reliability and validity of the Iraqi Kurdish version of the PHQ-9 as tool for identifying depression. Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used; data were collected from 872 participants (49.3% female and 51.7% male) at Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) in the host community as well as from Internal Displaced Persons (IDPs) and refugee camps. Sociodemographic information was obtained; PHQ-9 for the diagnosis and screening of depression and Self Reporting Questionnaire 20 items (SRQ-20) for the screening of common mental illnesses were administered. Validity and reliability analyses were performed. Results: In total, 19% of the participants had a PHQ-9 total score equal to or higher than the clinical cut-off of 10 for diagnosing depressive disorder. The internal consistency of the PHQ-9 was good (Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.89). Good concurrent validity for PHQ-9 compared with SRQ-20 (71%, p < 0.001) was found. Conclusions: The PHQ-9 demonstrates good psychometric properties and proves to be a good tool for detecting and screening depression.
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| 2. |
- Policastro, Francesca, et al.
(författare)
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Motor Development of Children in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq : Parent Survey
- 2024
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Ingår i: Children. - : MDPI. - 2227-9067. ; 11:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The actual literature highlights the importance of the socio-cultural context in the development of children. However, there is a lack of specific evidence about the middle East, especially regarding the development of Kurdish children who are living in a post-war scenario, in a country which is experiencing continuous instability due to the different crises. The main aim of this study is to identify the features of the motor development of Kurdish children according to parents' opinion. A comparison with Italian children is provided as a Western example, which reflects data from the literature. In the study, 331 parents of Kurdish and Italian children aged between 3 and 7 years were involved. Parents filled the questionnaire at kindergartens, after providing consent. The questionnaire was conceptualized, designed, tested and provided ad hoc for this study; it focused on the timing of development, concerning major milestones like head control, sitting and standing-up. The questionnaire consists of 15 questions and has not been standardized yet. A logistic regression showed several differences between Kurdish and Italian children, like head control (p = 0.007) or the manipulation of big objects (p < 0.0001). These results identify the effect of the socio-cultural context and the impact of the growing environment of the child. Moreover, the results of this survey show the need for introducing different adapted, translated and validated assessment tools for motor development, considering differences related to the socio-cultural context.
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| 3. |
- Taib, Nezar Ismet, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Former street-working boys in Iraq highlight the importance of receiving education, training and support from families and other adults
- 2022
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Ingår i: Acta Paediatrica. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0803-5253 .- 1651-2227. ; 111:7, s. 1390-1398
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- AimThis study investigated the perceptions of men who worked on the streets of Iraq when they were children. It looked at the risks they faced, how they developed resilience and what support they feel current working children need.MethodsIn 2021, semi-structured interviews were held with 40 men aged 24–33 who used to work on the streets as children. They had attended the Zewa Centre, a drop-in centre for street-working children in 2004–2005. Thematic analysis was used to explore the transcribed interviews.ResultsPositive feedback focused on how they developed working and social skills and felt proud to support their families. Negative feedback included the consequences on their social lives and mental and physical health. Their suggestions for preventing street work in children were financial support, so that families could send their children back to school, and programmes that offer social skills training and vocational training. Social support from families, other adults and peers was very important.ConclusionWorking on the streets had positive and negative consequences and support from family and friends influenced the men's attitudes in adulthood. They suggested that financial support, education and social and vocational training would be very important for today's street-working children.
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| 4. |
- Taib, Nezar Ismet, PhD student, 1975-, et al.
(författare)
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Mental disorders in former street-working boys
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Annan publikation (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The continuity of mental disorders in street-working children is rarely studied. This study therefore investigated homotypic and heterotypic continuity of mental disorders from childhood to adulthood in street-working boys. Mental disorders were assessed by structured diagnostic interviews in 40 street-working boys in 2004-2005 and again in 2021, when the participants’ mean ages were 12.1 (SD 1.8) and 29.7 (SD 2.3), respectively. Mental disorders were common; 24 participants (60%) satisfied the criteria for at least one diagnosis at baseline and 28 (70%) at follow-up. Comorbidity increased from 1.2 (SD 1.4) disorders initially to 2.5 (SD 1.8) at follow-up. Only anxiety disorders showed homotypic continuity. Depressive disorders exhibited the greatest increase over time whereas externalizing disorders exhibited a decreasing tendency. The number of mental disorders in adulthood was related to the number of mental disorders in childhood but not to the number of childhood traumas experienced, having previously worked for more than two hours per day, having worked for over two years on the streets, or having at least one dead parent as a child. Parental ratings on the Child Behaviour Check List (CBCL) from childhood were also unrelated to the number of adult disorders. More longitudinal studies with bigger samples of both genders are needed to fully evaluate the continuity of mental disorders in street-working children and to determine whether the number of mental disorders in childhood is a stronger predictor of being mentally disordered in adult life than psychosocial risk factors or experiences of internalizing or externalizing symptoms in childhood.
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| 5. |
- Taib, Nezar, 1975-
(författare)
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Street Working Children in the Kurdistan Region of Iraq followed over 16 years : Mental Health and Traumatization
- 2022
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The overall aims of the research this thesis is based upon were to assess mental disorders and trauma experiences of street working boys in Duhok (in the Kurdistan region of Iraq), compare them with schoolboys of the same community, follow the street working boys into adulthood, and examine the continuity of mental disorders, as well as their adult perspectives on their previous street work.A group of 100 street working boys was examined in 2004–2005, and 40 of the same group (as adults) in 2021. Psychiatric diagnoses were obtained through structured diagnostic interviews, using the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescence (MINI KID) and Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) instruments at baseline and follow-up, respectively. Behavioural problems and competencies were assessed at baseline by the Child Behaviour Checklist, and experienced traumas were assessed at baseline by the Harvard-Uppsala Trauma Questionnaire for Children (HUTQ-C). At follow-up all participants were interviewed about their perspectives and experiences, then their responses in the interviews were subjected to thematic analysis. Schoolboys of the same age from the same city were recruited in 2011, assessed in the same way and compared with the street working boys. The research was presented in four appended papers, designated Papers I-IV. As described in Paper I, 98% of the 100 street children worked to meet economic needs of their families, and there were very high rates of parental illiteracy: 90% of their fathers and 95% of their mothers were illiterate. Mental disorders were common: 61% had at least one mental disorder, most frequently one or more anxiety disorders (57%). In Paper II, types and frequencies of experienced traumas were compared between street working boys and schoolboys. A significantly higher proportion of street working boys had experienced at least one traumatic event than the schoolboys (96% versus 64%, p < 0.001), although both groups lived in a region burdened by conflicts and war. The largest effect size was found for torture, with an odds ratio of (28.4). In the study reported in Paper III, street work was found to have had both positive and negative consequences for the children. The positive consequences included development of work and social skills, being responsible and able to support their families. Negative consequences included impaired adult mental and physical health. In addition, an important identified resilience factor was social support from families, other adults and/or peers. The study reported in Paper IV found that 28 (70%) of the participants met criteria for at least one mental disorder at follow-up. The proportion with any depressive disorder increased from 7.5% at baseline to 40% at follow-up (p=0.002), but proportions with any anxiety disorder or externalizing disorder did not significantly change. Of those with an anxiety disorder in childhood, 42.5% continued to have it in adulthood.
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