Respiratory syndromes among pilgrims: assessment of Health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory Symptoms

Background: Acute respiratory symptoms are the commonest problems faced by pilgrims in Makkah. They could result from overcrowding, physical exhaustion and anxiety. The hot-dry atmospheric air exacerbates the problems. Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the occurrence of acute resp...

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Main Author: Deris, Zakuan Zainy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan, Universiti Sains Malaysia 2009
Subjects:
Online Access:http://eprints.usm.my/48707/1/DR.%20ZAKUAN%20DERIS.pdf
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author Deris, Zakuan Zainy
author_facet Deris, Zakuan Zainy
author_sort Deris, Zakuan Zainy
collection USM
description Background: Acute respiratory symptoms are the commonest problems faced by pilgrims in Makkah. They could result from overcrowding, physical exhaustion and anxiety. The hot-dry atmospheric air exacerbates the problems. Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the occurrence of acute respiratory symptoms among Malaysian hall pilgrims Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst two thousands Malaysian pilgrims. Survey forms were distributed at Madinatul-hullaj, Jeddah where pilgrims stay on transit before returning to Malaysia. Response to the survey was on voluntary basis. The results were analysed using STAT A version 9.0. The denominator was the number of completed survey forms. Results: 394 pilgrims completed and returned the survey forms; 219 males and 173 were females [2 persons did not state their gender]. Only two (0.5%) pilgrims were younger than 10 years and 51 (13.0%) were above 61 years of age. A large majority received influenza vaccination 278 (72.4%). The common underlying diseases were diabetes 48 (12.2%), asthma 35 (8.9%), prolonged cough 34 (8.6%) and rhinitis 28 (7.1 %). In descending order the occurrence of symptoms and their respective 95% confidence intervals were: cough 91.3% (88.0-93.7), runny nose 79.2% (74.9-82.9), sore throat 57.1% (52.1 -61.9) and fever 59.1% (54.2-63.9). Only 3.6% (2.2-5.9) of pilgrims did not suffer from any of these symptoms. Majority had more than two symptoms and longer than 2 weeks duration. The Malaysian hall pilgrims who had single symptom were 9.3% (6.8-12.6), two symptoms 23.7% (19.7-28.1), three symptoms 25.4% (21.4-30.0), and four symptoms 36.5% (31.9-41.4). Only 1.5% (0. 7-3.3) had had hospitalization due to their illness. Conclusion: Acute respiratory symptoms were remarkably common among Malaysian hall pilgrims. The interventional measures to reduce the" morbidity of respiratory related symptoms should be carried out in future Hall seasons.
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spelling usm.eprints-487072021-03-28T03:35:58Z http://eprints.usm.my/48707/ Respiratory syndromes among pilgrims: assessment of Health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory Symptoms Deris, Zakuan Zainy R Medicine Background: Acute respiratory symptoms are the commonest problems faced by pilgrims in Makkah. They could result from overcrowding, physical exhaustion and anxiety. The hot-dry atmospheric air exacerbates the problems. Objectives: The aim of the study was to determine the occurrence of acute respiratory symptoms among Malaysian hall pilgrims Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted amongst two thousands Malaysian pilgrims. Survey forms were distributed at Madinatul-hullaj, Jeddah where pilgrims stay on transit before returning to Malaysia. Response to the survey was on voluntary basis. The results were analysed using STAT A version 9.0. The denominator was the number of completed survey forms. Results: 394 pilgrims completed and returned the survey forms; 219 males and 173 were females [2 persons did not state their gender]. Only two (0.5%) pilgrims were younger than 10 years and 51 (13.0%) were above 61 years of age. A large majority received influenza vaccination 278 (72.4%). The common underlying diseases were diabetes 48 (12.2%), asthma 35 (8.9%), prolonged cough 34 (8.6%) and rhinitis 28 (7.1 %). In descending order the occurrence of symptoms and their respective 95% confidence intervals were: cough 91.3% (88.0-93.7), runny nose 79.2% (74.9-82.9), sore throat 57.1% (52.1 -61.9) and fever 59.1% (54.2-63.9). Only 3.6% (2.2-5.9) of pilgrims did not suffer from any of these symptoms. Majority had more than two symptoms and longer than 2 weeks duration. The Malaysian hall pilgrims who had single symptom were 9.3% (6.8-12.6), two symptoms 23.7% (19.7-28.1), three symptoms 25.4% (21.4-30.0), and four symptoms 36.5% (31.9-41.4). Only 1.5% (0. 7-3.3) had had hospitalization due to their illness. Conclusion: Acute respiratory symptoms were remarkably common among Malaysian hall pilgrims. The interventional measures to reduce the" morbidity of respiratory related symptoms should be carried out in future Hall seasons. Pusat Pengajian Sains Perubatan, Universiti Sains Malaysia 2009 Article NonPeerReviewed application/pdf en http://eprints.usm.my/48707/1/DR.%20ZAKUAN%20DERIS.pdf Deris, Zakuan Zainy (2009) Respiratory syndromes among pilgrims: assessment of Health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory Symptoms. Respiratory syndromes among pilgrims: assessment of Health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory Symptoms. (Submitted)
spellingShingle R Medicine
Deris, Zakuan Zainy
Respiratory syndromes among pilgrims: assessment of Health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory Symptoms
title Respiratory syndromes among pilgrims: assessment of Health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory Symptoms
title_full Respiratory syndromes among pilgrims: assessment of Health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory Symptoms
title_fullStr Respiratory syndromes among pilgrims: assessment of Health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory Symptoms
title_full_unstemmed Respiratory syndromes among pilgrims: assessment of Health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory Symptoms
title_short Respiratory syndromes among pilgrims: assessment of Health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory Symptoms
title_sort respiratory syndromes among pilgrims assessment of health status and interventions to alleviate respiratory symptoms
topic R Medicine
url http://eprints.usm.my/48707/1/DR.%20ZAKUAN%20DERIS.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT deriszakuanzainy respiratorysyndromesamongpilgrimsassessmentofhealthstatusandinterventionstoalleviaterespiratorysymptoms