Background: Early recognition and prevention of common childhood illnesses are essential to reduce morbidity and mortality among children under five. Aim: To assess parental knowledge and preventive practices related to childhood illnesses in Mongolia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 175 parents and caregivers of children aged 0–59 months attending primary health care facilities in urban and rural areas. Data were collected using structured interviews assessing knowledge of general danger signs, prevention of diarrhea and respiratory illnesses, household environmental risk factors, and injury prevention. Descriptive statistics and comparative analyses were performed, with statistical sig nificance set at p<0.05. Results: Urban caregivers identified significantly more general danger signs than rural caregivers (mean 5.3 vs 3.2; p<0.001). Knowledge levels did not differ between caregivers of ill and healthy children. Preventive practices related to diarrhea showed no significant association with child illness status. Rural households reported higher exposure to indoor air pollution from solid fuel use. Injuries requiring medical attention were reported in 22.9% of children, with no signifi cant differences in injury prevention knowledge. Conclusion Parental knowledge varied by place of residence rather than child health status, underscoring the need for context-specific health education within primary health care services, particularly in rural settings.

Background: The skin barrier serves as the primary defense against environmental factors. Mongolia’s extreme climate conditions may contribute to skin barrier impairment, increased trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), and decreased skin moisture. Objective: To determine and compare skin moisture, TEWL, and skin pH levels in children. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in June 2023 with 104 relatively healthy children selected through random sampling. Skin physiological parameters, including skin moisture, skin pH and TEWL were measured following the EEMCO (European Group on Efficacy Measurement of Cosmetics and Other Topical Products) guidelines using the Multi Skin Test MC750 device (Courage+Khazaka Electronics, Germany) at nine different sites. Data analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel and Stata-14 software. Results: Among the participants, 51.9% (n=54) reported having dry skin (p<0.0001). Additionally, 64.5% (n=67) used moisturizers, but their usage did not show a statistically significant difference in skin moisture (p=0.929), skin pH (p=0.378), or TEWL (p=0.332). 14.42% (n=15) had extremely dry skin, while 85.58% (n=89) had dry skin, with no participants falling within the normal skin moisture range. TEWL showed a moderate inverse correlation with age (r=-0.331, p=0.0006). When analyzed by age groups, skin moisture (p=0.023) and TEWL (p=0.038) differed significantly between groups. Conclusion Skin moisture and TEWL significantly differ across age groups. Given that all participants had dry skin, moisturization is crucial. Mongolia’s extreme climate is likely a key contributing factor to childhood skin dryness.

Emergency cesarean section risk factors of Robson 1, 2A, 3, 4A Introduction: Cesarean section rates in Mongolia exceed WHO recommendations of 5–15%, reaching 27.6% nationally and 34.1% at the First Maternity Hospital between 2019–2023. C-sections, while life-saving, increase risks of hemorrhage, infection, uterine complications, and reduced maternal quality of life. This study aimed to analyze emergency C-sections by Robson classification and identify associated risk factors in groups 1, 2a, 3, and 4a. Material and methods: A retrospective case-control study was conducted using 886 medical records (443 emergency C-sections and 443 vaginal deliveries) from 2021–2023. Data were analyzed with IBM SPSS 24.0, and binary logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Robson 2a was the most frequent category (43.8%), followed by 4a (25.7%), 1 (20.1%), and 3 (10.4%). Significant risk factors for emergency C-section included maternal age (p<0.001), early cervical dilation (<5 cm) at labor diagnosis (OR 3.54), abnormal CTG, pre-eclampsia, PROM, amniotomy, infertility, and malposition. Multivariate analysis showed PROM (aOR 14.66), amniotomy (aOR 6.85), fetal weight ≥4000 g (aOR 4.07), and maternal age (aOR 1.48) as key predictors. Conclusions: Emergency C-sections were most common in Robson group 2a. Major contributing factors included PROM, amniotomy, maternal age, macrosomia, and abnormal labor patterns. Targeted interventions to manage these risk factors could reduce unnecessary emergency C-sections.

Background: Headache disorders are most prevalent public-health problem. Worldwide, among the adults 46% suffer from primary headache, where the migraine presents 11% and tension type headache (TTH) presents 25%. Recently, one type of the primary headache, medication overuse headache tends to increase. Nowadays, there is no sufficient study about primary headache in Mongolia. So that, it is necessary to investigate prevalence, clinical type and risk factors of the primary headache. Purpose: To study prevalence and risk factors of primary headache in Mongolia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out from June to November of 2017. Participants aged 18-65 years old were randomly selected from four provinces and three districts of Ulaanbaatar city. The diagnosis of headache was made using the International Classification of Headache Disorders-3 beta. Statistical analysis was performed on SPSS-23 program. Results: A total of 2043 participants (812 men and 1231 women) were reviewed. The participant’s average age was 38.6±13.4years. 1350 (66.1%) participants reported recurrent headache within the last 1 year. Of the total study population, the prevalence rate of primary headache was 1305 (63.9%). Number of people who suffered from migraine was 494 (24.2%), significantly greater in female than male participants (p=0.0001), with most frequent attacks at age 26-45 years. The risk of migraine associated with sex, education and family history (p=0.001). 592 (29.0%) of participants had TTH, mean age of them was 37.7±5.24, significant high rate in female than men, risk of TTH depends on education and job. The medication overuse headache was diagnosed at 116 (5.7%), 29.4% in men and 70.5% in women with average of 45.6±11.4 and 43±12.7 respectively. Among the participants 38.6% used medications, 28% people had one drug, 8.5% two drugs and 2% used three or more drugs. Use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) made up major percent in headache patients. Increased frequency of medication and multidrug affected to medication overuse headache (p=0.008). Conclusion More than half of studied population had primary headache. Migraine was in 24.2%, TTH in 29.0% of people, and associated with sex, education and family history. Use of non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs made up major percent in headache patients.

BACKGROUND. Annular elastolytic giant cell granuloma (AEGCG) is a rare skin disease, characterized by loss of elastic tissue due to elastophagocytosis by multinucleated giant cells in the upper part of dermis, which clinically presents as multiple annular plaques with raised erythematous border and central atrophy. We report a first case of AEGCG in dermatology practice in Mongolia. Its clinical and histological features, differential diagnosis and treatment modalities are described and discussed in detail.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a highly endemic in Mongolia. Consequently, complications of HBV including livercirrhosis and primary hepatocellular carcinoma, are crucial public health problems in the country. Since 1991, hepatitisB vaccination has been an integrated part of Mongolia’s Expanded Programme of Immunization (EPI). Since the HBVvaccination program has been implemented in Mongolia, there are few studies of HBV prevalence among children, itis essential to assess the effectiveness of HBV vaccination through the prevalence of hepatitis B virus carriage (i.e.,HBsAg) among children in Ulaanbaatar.GoalTo assess prevalence of HBV carriage and vaccination coverage among 4-6 year-old children in UlaanbaatarMATERIAL AND METHODS:∎ A representative, population based cross-sectional study was implemented in Ulaanbaatar.∎ A retrospective descriptive study design was used to estimate the HB vaccination coverage among 4-6 year-oldchildren in Ulaanbaatar.∎ A total of 2200 children, ages 4 to 6 years, were sampled using a stratified conducted, with stratified, multistage,random cluster design from 40 sub districts of 5 districts in Ulaanbaatar.∎ The children, aged 4 to 6 years, (n=1988) were tested for serological marker of HBV HBsAg.∎ All data (dose, species, and date) of the HepB vaccination were collected from the immunization record of thechildren.∎ Closed and open ended questionnaires were asked by parents to assess some social and demographicfactors.RESULT:Of the 2200 children sampled 183 children were not present at their home address and 29 children refused to participatein the study. Thus, 1988 children participated from Ulaanbaatar city (353 of from Khan-Uul district, 440 from Bayanzurkhdistrict, 400 from Bayangol district, 344 from Sukhbaatar district, 451 from Songinokhairhan district) (Response proportion90.3 percent). The mean age of children was 4.97±0.8 years with a range of 4-6 years; 1023(51%) were boys. Rapidtest results are available for all 1988 children; 0.3 percent (n=6) of whom were HBsAg carriers. HBsAg prevalence of4,5 and 6 year-old children were 0.15 percent, 0.43 percent and 0.32 percent, respectively. No association betweengender and HBsAg was identified. The administration of HB vaccine birth dose, HepB2 and HepB3 were 98.2 percent,94 percent, and 91 percent, respectively. Among children with immunization cards, 1089 (81.5 percent) children werecompletely vaccinated, 237 (17.7 percent) incompletely vaccinated and 11(0.8 percent) not vaccinated with hepatitisB vaccine. Prevalence of HBsAg carriage among children with immunization record was 0.18 percent and withoutimmunization records was 0.46 percent.CONCLUSION:Prevalence (0.31 percent) of HBV carriage among the young generation meaningfully declined compared with those ofprevious studies in Ulaanbaatar as a result of Expanded Program of Immunization. There was no significant associationbetween age or sex and HBsAg carriers.

Goal: The aim of the study was to identify economic burden from hypertention in Ulaanbaatar and develop some recommenadations. Material and Method: The top down approach was used to calculate direct costs of hypertension in five hospitals of the secondary and tertiary levels. To calculate cost of hypertension financial reports and cost centres data were used. A self-administered questionnaire was used to calculate indirect costs from the disease. Patients, admitted to six UB district and three tertiary level hospitals due to hypertension filled in the questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS 15 programme.Results: Some 114 patients were surveyed. The average cost of hypertension was 143914 ± 38189.5 (average bed days 8.7) and 264756 ± 40760.4¥ (average bed days 9.5) in the selected district and tertiary level hospitals respectively. The average cost for per out-patient visit was 4237 ± 2123.5¥ in the selected district hospitals and 3,162 ± 308.3¥ in the selected tertiary level hospitals. The indirect costs included transport cost to and from hospital, food, transport cost of relatives to visit them, cost of medications, and some other expenses related to their admission. Average indirect cost of an admission of patients with the hypertension was 253,395 and 212,717.44¥ in district and tertiary level hospitals respectively. Economic burden from temporary loss of working ablility due to hypertension was 177.1 millions tugrigs. National average wage was 300500¥ in 2009. Some 65.8% of respondents used antihypertension drugs at least once a day and average cost was 653.4¥ per patient per day. Annual and 10 years drug use estimates were 238491 and 2.3 million tugrigs per patient respectively (Inflation and price changes were not counted).Conclusion: Indirect and direct costs for admission were 1.1 billion (49.6%) and 939 million (42.5%) tugrigs respectively. Cost of hypertension in Ulaanbaatar was 2.2 billion tugrigs in 2009 and it is 1.1% of total health sector financing.