Patterns of Diseases and Correlates among Visitors of Fourteenth of Imam Al Hussein ( peace be upon him ) in A L Hilla City Sub district

Background: During Al Arbaʽeen Visiting in Iraq Ten to twenty millions peoples came annually to Holly Karbala places in twenty days during Al Arbaeen visiting event leading toaggregation of a lot of peoples in same place(mass gathering event), the visitors may suffer from different acute and or chronic health problems , identification and addressing of these chronic and emergency cases will help the health planners and care providers to achieve the optimum high quality health promotion objectives.Objectives : to assess the health problems that affected Al Arbaeen visiting attendees during the year ۲۰۲۱ in Al Kifel sub district in Hilla city.Methodology : using a pretested questionnaire which included demographic data and information about the health status of the visitor was used as a tool to collect the needed data through direct interview by the researchers after explaining the objectives of the study and obtaining the approval of the visitor for participation, then random blood sugar and blood pressure was measured by the trained nurses, question about COVID ۱۹ vaccination was also asked by the interviewer.Results : This study revealed that the mean age of participants was ۲۷.۴۴ years and the female to male ratio was ۱.۴۵:۱. About ۳۷% of the sample had low level of education, urban dwellers constituted ۵۷%.About ۶۰% suffered from some ailments during their walking; ۲۵% had feet ulcers. The overall prevalence of elevated blood pressure was ۲۰% while the prevalence of hyperglycemia( abnormal random blood sugar and tobacco smoking habit were ۳۴% and ۲۹% respectively . There were a high statistical significant relationship between high blood pressure and hyperglycemia P<۰.۰۰۱, a significant correlation was identified between tobacco smoking habit and having high blood sugar P<۰.۰۵. A significant association was detected between smoking habits and high blood pressure P<۰.۰۰۱.Only ۲۳% of participant receive one or two COVID ۱۹vaccine, ۵۰% of visitors mentioned that the provided health care services were good, about one third of them took antibiotics while more than half consumed analgesics .Conclusion: the prevalence of hypertension and hyperglycemia were high among visitors. Many visitors abuse antibiotics and analgesics, the COVID ۱۹ vaccination rate was not good. Further large scale studies are requested together with effective health education screening campaigns.

کلیدواژه ها:

Al arbaeen visitors ، patterns of disease ، mass gathering health problems