Factors Affecting COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance among Pregnant Women: A Cross Sectional Study from Abha City, Saudi Arabia

Background: Pregnant women can get infected with COVID-19 with serious sequelae to them and their fetus. Concerns about COVID-19 vaccination safety to mothers and babies, and doubts about its effectiveness, have hindered vaccine acceptance throughout the COVID-19 crisis. The objective of the current investigation was to estimate COVID-19 acceptance rates among pregnant women in Abha city, Aseer region, Saudi Arabia, and determine its clinical and demographic correlates. Method: Descriptive questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey of a sample of pregnant women attending regular antenatal care services in Abha. We used backward stepwise multiple logistic regression analysis to evaluate the predictability of vaccine acceptance in terms of baseline clinical and demographic factors. Results: The survey included 572 pregnant women. The prevalence of acceptance of COVID-19 vaccine was high (93.7%; 95%CI: 91.7–95.7%). University graduates and women with a later gestational age were more likely to accept vaccination (OR = 6.120, p = 0.009), (t = 2.163, p = 0.036), respectively. Confidence in vaccine safety was associated with better acceptance (OR = 3.431, p = 0.001). Conclusions: The acceptance rate for vaccination among pregnant women in Abha, Saudi Arabia, is higher compared to international rate. However, our results indicate that confidence in vaccine safety was associated with better acceptance. Hence, vaccine safety was the overarching predictor for harboring positive attitudes towards it. Public health policies should capitalize on such positive attitudes and aim for total coverage of pregnant women with COVID-19 vaccination including booster dosages

Awareness of substance use and its associated factors in young Saudi students

Adolescence is the stage that carries the greatest risk for initiating substance use as it is a transitional stage of physical and mental human development. Studies in younger populations have demonstrated a positive association between awareness about substance abuse and their attitudes toward substances. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country with strict laws regarding availability and use of addictive substances. Addictive behaviors tend to be concealed by the users in the Saudi community. However, some studies have revealed that drug abuse is more common in the Saudi community than was previously thought, thus it is necessary to have estimates of existing awareness regarding substance abuse, and its predictors among adolescents for future redressal of this emerging public health issue. The objective of this study was to assess the awareness of secondary school students regarding substance abuse and find its associated social factors. This was a cross sectional study conducted on 1022 secondary school stu-dents using a self administered questionnaire assessing their social characteristics and awareness on substance abuse. Most of students (82.4%) had sufficient awareness ( and #707;60%) regarding substance abuse. Age, scholastic year, subject (science) and being non and ndash;Saudi had positive association with good awareness. Parental education, family income and parental status of living together had significant association with the awareness level of students. [J Med Allied Sci 2016; 6(2.000): 61-67

Unmet need and demand for family planning among married women of Abha, Aseer Region in Saudi Arabia

Objective: To measure the unmet need and demand for family planning among Saudi women; to delineate the major reasons for not using contraceptives and identify the associated factors. Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted in six primary health care centres in Abha city among 402 women of reproductive age ranged between 15 to 49 years, having atleast one child. Face to face interview was conducted by using a validated questionnaire. Results: The prevalence of unmet need was 32.6%. The proportion of spacers and limiters among this group was 65.7% and 34.4% respectively. The proportion of spacers among unmet need was significantly high among the younger age group and proportion of limiters were high in the older age group (p = 0.001). The major reasons for not using contraceptives was inaccessibility of family planning methods (68.0%), lack of knowledge (59.5%), religious belief (49.6%), fear of side effects of contraceptives they had suffered in the past, and opposition by husband 42.7%. Unmet need was significantly high amongst the women with lower and older age group. Low level of education is significantly associated with unmet need for contraceptive (p = 0.043). Conclusion: Around one third of the women in the present study have an unmet need for family planning and demand for Contraception for this population has been found to be high. All these findings point out the need of action in this regards

Perceived stress in Saudi undergraduate medical students

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and magnitude of stress in Saudi undergraduate medical students and its associated socio-demographic factors using a cross-sectional design. It was conducted at King Khalid University Medical College during September-October 2016, including 267 students of both sexes and all study levels. Data was collected using an anonymous self administered questionnaire including socio-demographic information like participant details and family details, along with the Kessler -10 scale for measuring stress. Data analysis was carried out using SPSS 17.0. Results were de-scribed as frequencies, percentages, mean±SD. Independent samples t test and ANOVA were used to study the relationship of stress with various social and demographic factors. A mean stress score of 23.46±7.77 was observed. This is graded as mild stress according to Kessler scale classification. Forty four students, i.e. 16.5% reported perception of high stress, while 23.6% students perceived mild and 26.6% reported moderate stress. Students who perceived no stress comprised one third (33.3%) of the study population. A significant relationship of female gender with stress was observed (p˂0.0001). It was concluded that most of the medical students undergo some degree of stress during their study period and female students have significantly more stress than their male counterparts. [J Med Allied Sci 2017; 7(1.000): 41-47

Current Practices and Existing Gaps of Continuing Medical Education among Resident Physicians in Abha City, Saudi Arabia

Background: Continuing medical education (CME) is an everlasting process throughout the physician’s working life. It helps to deliver better services for the patients. Objectives: To explore CME among resident physicians in Abha City; their current practices, their opinions, and barriers faced. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among resident physicians at the Ministry of Health hospitals in Abha City using a validated self-administered questionnaire. It included personal characteristics, current CME practices, satisfaction with CME, and barriers to attendance. Results: The present study included 300 residents from 15 training specialties. Their reported CME activities during the previous year were lectures and seminars (79.7%) followed by conferences (43.7%), case presentations (39.7%), workshops (34.0%), group discussion (29/7%), and journal clubs (27.3%). Astonishingly enough, very few (8%) attended online electronic CME activities. There were significant differences in CME satisfaction scores by different training specialties. Regarding residents’ perceptions of the effectiveness of different CME activities (conferences/symposia, workshops/courses, and interdepartmental activities) the results showed that workshops and courses were significantly the most effective method compared to the other two methods in retention of knowledge, improving attitudes, improving clinical skills, improving managerial skills, and in improving practice behaviors. Barriers reported were being busy, lack of interest, high cost, and lack of suitable providers. Conclusion: Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that online learning be promoted as a CME format for trainees. There should be support of residents and clinicians through the provision of protected time for their CME activities outside their daily clinical commitments