BACKGROUND An efficient public health workforce is necessary for improving and maintaining the health of population and such a workforce can be prepared through proper educational programs and trainings. OBJECTIVES The present study aims to investigate the needs in the public health education programs, as well as need and availability of competent public health workforce in labour market of Saudi Arabia. METHODS A descriptive, cross-sectional survey was administered in two phases in the college of Health Sciences at the Saudi Electronic University (SEU). The first phase was carried out between September 2015 and December 2015, which involved interview with administrative heads of four health-related organizations. The second phase was performed in September 2017 and June 2018 after starting an undergraduate course in public health at the university. A total of 41 faculty and 408 students from different branches of SEU participated in the online survey. RESULTS According to administrative head of public healthraduate level will help in the development of efficient and competent public health workforce. © 2019 Atlantis Press International B.V.Inclusion of a pharmacist showed that pharmacy-led patient education can positively impact treatment outcome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) knowledge, medication adherence, quality of life, significant reduction in hospital admission rates, and emergency department visits. The objectives were to assess the degree of COPD knowledge in Lebanese community pharmacists as well as their attitudes and practice toward disease management. Between January and May 2018, a cross-sectional survey enrolled 709 Lebanese community pharmacists. A committee was created to build up the questionnaire; it was composed of two physicians (one infectious disease specialist and one pulmonologist) and eight pharmacists, with long expertise in community and hospital pharmacy. It comprised 12 questions assessing knowledge, 12 questions for attitude, and 13 questions for practice. Higher attitude (β = 0.56) and higher practice (β = 0.41) were associated with higher knowledge score. Higher knowledge (β = 0.10) and practice (β = 0.16) scores as well as female gender (β = 0.60) were significantly associated with higher attitude scores. Higher knowledge (β = 0.13) and higher attitude (β = 0.19) showed significant association with higher practice scores. Female gender (β = -0.94), however, was significantly associated with decreased practice score. Our study highlights the importance of assessing the capabilities of pharmacists of achieving their support role in COPD patients. In order to improve community pharmacists' knowledge of COPD, ultimately improving patient outcomes, further education is crucial. © 2019 Atlantis Press International B.V.BACKGROUND Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) testing and counseling is recommended for people with Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). In Myanmar, HIV testing and its predictors among those with STI in general population is unknown. METHODS This is a cross-sectional study using secondary data from Myanmar demographic and health survey 2015-16. We included all women and men aged 15-49 years that reported having STI in the past 12 months. Self-reported HIV testing and its predictors were assessed (using modified Poisson regression with robust variance estimates). We have provided weighted estimates as the analyses were weighted for the multistage sampling design. RESULTS Of 998 self-reported STIs, 96 [9.6%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.5, 12.1] had been tested for HIV in the past 12 months. Respondents who were residing in hilly regions [adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) 2.28, 95% CI 1.29, 4.04] were more likely to have taken the HIV test. However, people in the poorest quintile (aPR 0.34, 95% CI 0.12, 0.96) and those who were staying at the current residence for more than 12 months (aPR 0.45, 95% CI 0.25, 0.79) were less likely to have taken HIV test. CONCLUSION There is a necessity to promote HIV literacy and HIV testing among those with STI with focus on the poorest populations. © 2020 Atlantis Press International B.V.BACKGROUND Since 2008, dengue fever outbreaks had occurred repeatedly in various districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province of Pakistan. Most importantly the outbreak of 2017 caused 70 deaths, about 121,083 suspected and 24,938 confirmed cases in 23 districts of KP. In 2018, an abrupt decline in suspected and confirmed dengue cases was observed and 2018 was declared as dengue outbreak free. This study characterizes and explores the control and response measure activities of the outbreak. In addition, we explored the challenges faced and lessons learned for control of future dengue outbreaks from the perspectives of health authorities and dengue response staff in the KP province of Pakistan. METHODS This was a mixed methods study with quantitative data on dengue outbreaks obtained from health department in KP followed by qualitative study to explore activities and responses that enabled the Dengue Response Unit (DRU) for a successful dengue outbreak control in 2018. In-depth interviews were conducted with the key informants from the department of health and the dengue response unit. RESULTS The quantitative data analysis revealed a huge decline of suspected and confirmed dengue cases in comparison with the previous year in most of the KP districts. A similar decline in dengue reported cases was also observed from previously high dengue burden 14 union counsels of Peshawar district. Among the 70 verified deaths in 2017, 44 (63%) were males and 26 (37%) were females. The cases were about 20% each from age groups of 21-30, 41-50, and 51-60 years. The qualitative study findings showed four prominent major themes for successful control (1) control and response strategy; (2) organizing specific dengue control and response intervention activities; (3) addressing dengue control and response challenges; and (4) generating lesson for future dengue control and response. © 2019 Atlantis Press International B.V.BACKGROUND Labor and delivery under the supervision of a skilled birth attendant have been shown to promote positive maternal and neonatal outcomes; yet, more than a third of births in Kenya occur outside a health facility. We investigated the association between measures of women's empowerment and health facility-based delivery in Northeastern and Western Kenya. METHODS Analysis of 2014 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey data was conducted. Logistic regression adjusting for demographic factors, contraceptive use, and comprehensive HIV knowledge was used to assess the influence of the validated African Women's Empowerment Index-East (AWEI-E) on the likelihood of women's most recent birth having occurred in a health facility versus at home. Idarubicin price Additionally, we explored the mediating effect of contraceptive use on women's empowerment and health facility-based delivery. RESULTS Compared to respondents with low or moderate empowerment scores, those with high empowerment scores were more likely to have given birth at a health facility [odds ratio (OR) = 1.