Urooj Bakht Khuwaja

Publications of Urooj Bakht Khuwaja

• Acute health effects of the Tasman Spirit oil spill on residents of Karachi, Pakistan.

  Authors: Naveed Zafar Janjua, Pashtoon Murtaza Kasi, Haq Nawaz, Sadia Zohra Farooqui, Urooj Bakht Khuwaja, Najam-ul-Hassan, Syed Nadim Jafri, Shahid Ali Lutfi, Muhammad Masood Kadir, Nalini Sathiakumar

  BMC public health. 02/2006; 6:84.

  BACKGROUND: On July 27 2003, a ship carrying crude oil ran aground near Karachi and after two weeks released 37,000 tons of its cargo into the sea. Oil on the coastal areas and fumes in air raisedBACKGROUND: On July 27 2003, a ship carrying crude oil ran aground near Karachi and after two weeks released 37,000 tons of its cargo into the sea. Oil on the coastal areas and fumes in air raised health concerns among people. We assessed the immediate health impact of oil spill from the tanker Tasman Spirit on residents of the affected coastline in Karachi, Pakistan. METHODS: We conducted a study consisting of an exposed group including adults living in houses on the affected shoreline and two control groups (A and B) who lived at the distance of 2 km and 20 km away from the sea, respectively. We selected households through systematic sampling and interviewed an adult male and female in each household about symptoms relating to eyes, respiratory tract, skin and nervous system, smoking, allergies, beliefs about the effect on their health and anxiety about the health effects. We used logistic regression procedures to model each symptom as an outcome and the exposure status as an independent variable while adjusting for confounders. We also used linear regression procedure to assess the relationship exposure status with symptoms score; calculated by summation of all symptoms. RESULTS: Overall 400 subjects were interviewed (exposed, n = 216; group A, n = 83; and group B, n = 101). The exposed group reported a higher occurrence of one or more symptoms compared to either of the control groups (exposed, 96% vs. group A, 70%, group B 85%; P < 0.001). Mean summary symptom scores were higher among the exposed group (14.5) than control group A (4.5) and control group B (3.8, P < 0.001). Logistic regression models indicated that there were statistically significant, moderate-to-strong associations (Prevalence ORs (POR) ranging from 2.3 to 37.0) between the exposed group and the symptoms. There was a trend of decreasing symptom-specific PORs with increase in distance from the spill site. Multiple linear regression model revealed strong relationship of exposure status with the symptoms score (beta = 8.24, 95% CI: 6.37-10.12). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that the occurrence of increased symptoms among the exposed group is more likely to be due to exposure to the crude oil spill.

• Studying the association between postgraduate trainees' work hours, stress and the use of maladaptive coping strategies.

  Authors: Pashtoon Murtaza Kasi, Talha Khawar, Farooq Hasan Khan, Jawad Ghazanfar Kiani, Umber Zaheer Khan, Hadi Mohammad Khan, Urooj Bakht Khuwaja, Musa Rahim

  Journal of Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad : JAMC. 19(3):37-41.

  BACKGROUND: The growing debate regarding long working hours of postgraduate trainees has been receiving considerable attention recently. This greater workload contributes to increasing stress. OurBACKGROUND: The growing debate regarding long working hours of postgraduate trainees has been receiving considerable attention recently. This greater workload contributes to increasing stress. Our objective was to specifically study the association between long working hours, stress and the greater use of 'maladaptive' coping strategies. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out on all interns and residents at the Aga Khan University Hospital during February to May, 2005. Level of stress was measured by use of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the use of maladaptive coping mechanisms through Brief Cope-28. RESULTS: 55.1% scored over the threshold for mild stress i.e. GHQ > 3, while more than 46% of the trainees scored over the threshold of more than 4 for morbid stress. Trainees under stress reported more working hours on average as compared to those not under stress, 83.8 and 74.7 hours respectively. At the same time, those working for longer hours were more likely to have used these negative coping mechanisms, which would further contribute to more stress rather than relieving it. CONCLUSIONS: Significant levels of stress have been identified. Along with this, those working for longer hours were more likely to have used these negative coping mechanisms. Reduction of working hours is important. Simultaneously, interventions need to be planned at imparting knowledge, awareness and skills to cope with various kinds of stressors encountered by a trainee during his/her training. Additionally, limits need to be devised for the working hours of the trainees.