South Eastern European Journal of Public Health

A Meta-Analysis And Systematic Review Evaluating Cavities And Their Incidence In Indian Permanent Teeth

2026-01-10

Objectives: To use a systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the combined prevalence of dental caries in the Indian population.

Methodology: To find information about dental caries in the Indian population, a keyword search was done using pertinent keywords in the PubMed, Science Direct, Google Scholar, Cochrane, and Scopus databases. Standard Boolean operators were used in the search criteria, which included English-language manuscripts published between March 2015 and March 2025. Two researchers independently reviewed the studies that satisfied the inclusion criteria, and the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate their quality.

Results:
Seventy of the 253 articles that were found after screening satisfied the inclusion criteria and were used to create the meta-analysis. The overall dental caries prevalence was 54.16% (CI: 0.4966–0.5866), whereas the age-specific prevalence was 52% among individuals aged 3–18 and 62% among those aged over 18 (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions: In addition to an average prevalence of 54.16%, dental caries prevalence rates vary significantly by age, dentition, geographic location, and diagnostic parameters.

A Thematic Analysis Of Kuwaiti Women's Attitude, Behaviors, Beliefs, And Awareness About Pregnancy And Optimal Oral Hygiene Care

Sarah Abdulaziz Almubarak — 2026-01-10

Background:

During pregnancy, the hormonal and physiological processes are complicated and might predispose inflammation of the gums and caries. In spite of these dangers, there are still lots of pregnant women who do not know the value of professional oral care and preventive dental treatment. The study of oral-health beliefs and practices of women in pregnancy has received little research in Kuwait.

Purpose:

This paper examined the attitudes, beliefs, behaviors, and awareness of Kuwaiti pregnant women to oral hygiene in pregnancy through application of Health Action Model to determine the behavioral and motivational determinants of the behavior.

Methods:

The qualitative exploratory design was adopted. The focus group composed of ten Kuwaiti pregnant women pursuing antenatal care in private clinics and semi-structured interview was used. Thematic analysis was run through NVivo 12 software and Braun and Clarke six-phase framework to transcribe and analyze the data. Reflexive journaling, member checking, and peer debriefing were used to ensure credibility and trustworthiness.

Findings:

There were three key themes: (1) a lack of understanding of the oral systemic health connection, (2) perceived obstacles to professional dental care fear and competing medical advice, and (3) the powerful impact of social norms and self-care beliefs that cultural expectations have. These results imply that the motivational, social, and environmental factors interact with each other to influence oral-health behavior during pregnancy according to the Health Action Model.

Conclusion:

Kuwaiti expectant women were partially aware, and their oral-health behaviors were inconsistent and dependent on fear, misinformation, and cultural rules. The inclusion of oral-health education in antenatal services, as well as the enhancement of partnership between dental and obstetric services, could help to increase preventive steps and maternal health.

Effect Of The One Egg One Day Program On Changes In Zinc Levels And Anthropometric Status In Stunted Toddlers

Nanik Nur Rosyidah, Kurnia Indriyanti Purnama Sari, Kiftiyah, Eko Agus Cahyono — 2026-01-10

Stunting remains a serious public health problem in Indonesia. In this context, hair zinc levels serve as a sensitive long-term biomarker for assessing chronic zinc deficiency, a condition that is very common in stunted toddlers and directly contributes to stunted linear growth, while anthropometric status (especially the Height/Age z-score) provides an objective measure of impaired growth outcomes. Locally resource-based nutritional interventions, such as the consumption of omega-3-rich chicken eggs, offer significant strategic potential as a complete nutritional package rich in high-quality protein, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids (DHA), and various other essential micronutrients.

This study aimed to analyze the effectiveness of the one egg a day program on changes in hair zinc levels and anthropometric status in stunted toddlers.

The study used a pre-experimental design with a static group comparison approach. Data collection was conducted twice: a pre-test and a post-test. The data collected included the anthropometric status of stunted toddlers (height and weight) and zinc levels obtained from hair samples. Hair samples were taken from the back of the head by cutting 1.5-3 cm from the hair roots of the respondents. The data obtained were then analyzed using a paired t-test.

The One Egg a Day, One Egg program significantly increased hair zinc levels and anthropometric status (Z-score) in stunted toddlers, with a 2-tailed sig of 0.000 for each.

The use of omega-3 chicken eggs can be an alternative support option to address stunting in Indonesia through diversification of processed chicken egg products within the One Egg One Day program.

Medication Utilization And Polypharmacy Among Geriatric Patients In Saudi Arabia: A Rapid Review

Md. Mazharul Hoque MBBS, MD (Physiology) — 2026-01-10

This rapid review examines polypharmacy in geriatric patients (≥65 years) with multiple chronic conditions in Saudi Arabia, focusing on its prevalence and implications. Polypharmacy—concurrent use of five or more medications—poses significant risks, including adverse drug reactions, interactions, and financial burdens. Studies highlight challenges like reduced adherence, poorer quality of life, and increased healthcare complexity. Managing polypharmacy in older adults with comorbidities requires careful coordination among providers. Proposed interventions include regular medication reviews, standardized assessment tools, and collaborative care models involving pharmacists and physicians. Enhancing provider communication and awareness can optimize medication management. The review emphasizes the need for comprehensive strategies to mitigate polypharmacy risks, improve patient safety, and enhance health outcomes. Addressing this issue is critical as Saudi Arabia’s aging population grows. By implementing evidence-based approaches, healthcare systems can reduce polypharmacy-related harms and improve care quality for elderly patients with chronic diseases.

Mapping Regional Disparities: A Comparative Analysis Of Traumatic Injury Burden Across Saudi Arabia's Administrative Regions

Md Mazharul Hoque — 2026-01-10

Background: Traumatic injuries represent a significant public health burden in Saudi Arabia. Effective policy intervention under Vision 2030 requires a precise, subnational understanding of this burden, as national-level data often masks critical regional disparities.

Objective: This study aimed to identify and compare the relative burden of key traumatic injuries—road traffic accidents (RTAs), falls, burns, and violent injuries (stabbings/gunshots)—across Saudi Arabia's thirteen administrative regions.

Methods: A quantitative, cross-sectional analysis was conducted using 2023-2024 data from the Saudi Open Data Platform and population statistics from the General Authority for Statistics. Incidence rates per 100,000 population were calculated for each injury type and region. Regions were ranked to identify high-burden "hotspots," and Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to examine relationships between injury types.

Results: The analysis revealed distinct regional hotspots: Al Baha and Najran for RTAs; the Northern Borders region for falls; Jazan and Asir for violent injuries; and Makkah as a profound outlier for burns. Correlation analysis revealed a very strong positive relationship between RTAs and burns (r = 0.824), suggesting a shared "urban trauma" etiology. Conversely, violent injuries showed negligible correlation with other injury types, indicating unique socio-cultural drivers.

Conclusion: The traumatic injury burden in Saudi Arabia is not uniform but is characterized by distinct regional patterns driven by different factors. A one-size-fits-all national strategy is inadequate. The findings mandate a precision public health approach, with targeted interventions for specific regional risk profiles—such as integrated urban safety for RTAs and burns, and localized, community-based strategies for violence prevention—to effectively reduce injuries in line with Vision 2030 goals.

Vision-Related Quality Of Life And Visual Outcome From Cataract Surgery In Patients With Diabetic Retinopathy

2026-01-10

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) and cataract are major contributors to vision impairment in aging diabetic populations. While cataract surgery improves visual acuity, its effect on vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) in DR patients remains under-explored in Indian settings.

Aim: To assess changes in visual acuity and VRQoL following cataract surgery in patients with DR, using the validated Indian Visual Functioning Questionnaire-33 (IND-VFQ-33).

Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted on 94 patients with severe NPDR or PDR undergoing small incision cataract surgery (SICS) with PCIOL implantation. Preoperative and 1-month postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and IND-VFQ-33 scores were compared using paired t-tests (SPSS v22).

Results: Mean BCVA improved significantly from 0.92 ± 0.24 to 0.32 ± 0.18 logMAR (p < 0.001). VRQoL scores rose from 58.6 ± 12.3 to 82.4 ± 10.7 (p < 0.001), with significant gains across subdomains of mobility, daily activities, and emotional well-being.

Conclusion: Cataract surgery significantly enhances both visual function and quality of life in DR patients. Integrating culturally validated patient-reported outcome measures such as IND-VFQ-33 into routine cataract services strengthens evidence-based public health policy for diabetic populations in low- and middle-income countries.