Physicians Perspective Towards Impaired Awareness of Hypoglycaemia in Patients With Diabetes: A Forgotten Area

Aim This study aims to assess knowledge, and practices of primary care physician in Saudi Arabia about IAH. Method: A cross-sectional study conducted using a newly designed self-administered questionnaire among 292 primary care physicians at three tertiary hospitals and primary care clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia between December 2018 and June 2019. Results Of the participants, 59.9% of them had acceptable knowledge of IAH while only 40.1% had poor knowledge. Around half (46.2%) of physicians rated their familiarity with IAH as average or above average, and these had higher mean knowledge scores than participants who reported below average familiarity (mean 5.32 versus 4.39) (P = 0.000). Higher mean knowledge scores were found among physicians who have managed IAH patients than those who have not managed IAH patients (5.58 versus 5.01) (P = 0.019). The differences between physicians’ mean knowledge scores and their ages, levels of training, and years in practice were statistically significant. Conclusion: A considerable gap was established in the knowledge, awareness, and practice of IAH among physicians in Saudi Arabia. An effort is needed to implement extensive educational activities about impaired hypoglycemia awareness to be directed to primary care physicians and further research in this area is warranted

Prevalence of overweight and obesity based on the body mass index; a cross-sectional study in Alkharj, Saudi Arabia

Background: Obesity and overweight are accompanied with several different chronic diseases. Overweight and obesity can be measured by using body mass index (BMI) and is also used widely as an index of relative adiposity among any population. The aim of the study is to evaluate the prevalence of overweight and obesity among general population in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.Methods: Cross-sectional analysis was undertaken from a representative sample (N = 1019) of the Al Kharj population. Anthropometric measurements including the waist circumference (in centimeters), height (in meters), and weight (in kilograms) of the subjects were undertaken by means of standard apparatus. SPSS 24.0 was utilized for statistical analysis of the data.Results: Majority of respondents in this study were overweight and obese (54.3%) compared with 45.7% being non-obese. A linear positive association of increasing BMI with older age groups was present in males and females. Men had larger waist circumference, weight and height measures as compared with their female counterparts. Regression analysis showed increasing age, being married and high serum cholesterol to be the significant predictors of overweight and obesity while gender, education level, job status, and having diabetes were not.Conclusions: The obesity-overweight prevalence in the Saudi population is high mainly across both genders. However, the associated factors are potentially preventable and modifiable. The regional barriers to lifestyle modifications and interventions to encourage active lifestyles, especially among adolescents to limit the occurrence of obesity and ultimately promote health and wellbeing, are warranted. Furthermore, prospective studies are needed in future to confirm the aetiological nature of such associations

Prevalence of prediabetes, diabetes and Its predictors among females in alkharj, saudi arabia: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions across the globe. Therefore, this study aims to determine the prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes, together with its accompanying risk factors, among young females. METHODS: An exploratory cross-sectional survey was conducted with 638 Saudi females in Alkharj, Saudi Arabia. Statistical analysis was carried out using STATA version 14. Odds ratios for the risk of diabetes and associated factors were calculated using log-binomial and multinomial logistic regression. Standardized prevalence and strata-specific prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes for different risk factors were also calculated. FINDINGS: The study revealed that nondiabetics and prediabetics were more prevalent between the ages of 18 and 24 years, while diabetic patients were consistently between 25 to 44 years of age. The average value for HbA1c in females was 5.44. Regression analysis shows that being older, married, obese, a smoker or less educated significantly increases the risk for both prediabetes and diabetes. Mutivariable analysis revealed obesity had a significant association with both prediabetes and diabetes. Prediabetics were 2.35 times more likely to be obese as compared to nondiabetics, with 95% CI (1.38-3.99). Similarly, diabetics were 6.67 times more likely to be obese compared to nondiabetics 95% CI (1.68-26.42). CONCLUSION: Our study shows the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes among females from Al Kharj was 3.8% and 18.8%, respectively. The diabetic and prediabetic female participants had higher mean BMI and waist circumference, were older in age, were married, and smoked as compared to nondiabetics. In the context of the findings of our study, and keeping in view the the burden of this disease globally and in our population, it has now become extremely important to understand these factors and encourage health-promoting behaviors to construct effective interventions

Prevalence of prediabetes, diabetes, and Its associated risk factors among males in Saudi Arabia: A population-based survey

Objectives: The study aims at determining the prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes and at ascertaining some concomitant risk factorsamong males in Saudi Arabia.Methods: A population-based cross-sectional study including 381 Saudi adult males from different institutions was recruited. Odds ratios for diabetes risk and risk factors were calculated using log-binomial and multinomial logistic regression, using STATA version 12.Results: The participants included 381 diabetic males with a median age of 45 years, average body mass index of 25 ± 40 kg/m2, whereas waist circumferences ranged from 66 to 180 cm in the male study population. In addition, 27.82% had normal BMI, 32.28% were overweight, and 36.22% were obese. Around 36% had higher waist circumference, that is, \u3e102 cm. Age, BMI, marital status, and educational attainment were statistically significant predictors for prediabetes and diabetes.Conclusion: This study found that the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes was 9.2% and 27.6%, respectively, for male Al-Kharj study population. The factors that increase the risk of diabetes and prediabetes include older age, obesity and overweight, being married, smoker, and having a civilian job and less education. All these factors were found statistically significant except smoking status and job type. In order to evaluate the causal relationship of these factors, prospective studies are required in future

New and old biomarkers of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a significant cause of mortality in patients with chronic liver disease around the world. Development of biomarkers for early HCC detection is a primary public health goal to decrease mortality. The ideal biomarkers should be highly sensitive and specific for surveillance of high-risk populations and early detection of HCC and also be able to predict therapeutic outcome and provide a prognosis on survival. Currently, the new biomarkers do not perform better than the conventional ones such as alpha-fetoprotein in such a way that they could be widely adopted in clinical practice. Another problem is the low sensitivity of these biomarkers in the detection of HCC. Further work on the development of novel biomarkers and on a combination of them is necessary. Advances in identifying unique molecular signatures including genomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and glycomic profiles have improved our understanding of many biological processes involved in HCC. This review focuses on the role of old and new biomarkers in surveillance, diagnosis, prognosis, and prediction of response to therapeutic targets for HCC and provides up-to-date data to health-care providers which would be applied in clinical practice

Parents' perceptions about child abuse and their impact on physical and emotional child abuse: A study from primary health care centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE: To determine perceptions of parents about child abuse, and their impact on physical and emotional child abuse. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred parents attending three primary health care centers (PHCCs) in Riyadh serving National Guard employes and their families, were requested to participate in this survey. Data was collected by self administered questionnaire. Five main risk factors areas/domains were explored; three were parent related (personal factors, history of parents' childhood abuse, and parental attitude toward punishment), and two were family/community effects and factors specific to the child. SPSS was used for data entry and analysis. Descriptive analysis included computation of mean, median, mode, frequencies, and percentages; Chi-square test and t-test were used to test for statistical significance, and regression analysis performed to explore relationships between child abuse and various risk factors. RESULTS: Thirty-four percent of the parents reported a childhood history of physical abuse. Almost 18% of the parents used physical punishment. The risk factors associated significantly with child abuse were parents' history of physical abuse, young parent, witness to domestic violence, and poor self-control. Child-related factors included a child who is difficult to control or has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Parents who did not own a house were more likely to use physical punishment. Abusive beliefs of parent as risk factors were: physical punishment as an effective educational tool for a noisy child; parents' assent to physical punishment for children; it is difficult to differentiate between physical punishment and child abuse; parents have the right to discipline their child as they deem necessary; and there is no need for a system for the prevention of child abuse. CONCLUSION: The causes of child abuse and neglect are complex. Though detecting child abuse may be difficult in primary care practice, many risk factors can be identified early. Parents' attitudes can be measured, and prevention initiatives, such as screening and counseling for parents of children at risk, can be developed and incorporated into primary care practice

The factor structure of the general health questionnaire (GHQ12) in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background The General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12) is one of the most unique and extensively used self-report instruments for evaluating psychological disorders and strains. However, the factor structure of GHQ-12 has not been fully explored. The current study aims to assess the factorial structure of GHQ-12 in a large cross-sectional data-set extracted from Al Kharj central region of Saudi Arabia. Methods Population based cross sectional data was extracted from January 2016 to June 2016 from Al Kharj population recruiting 1019 respondents aged 18 and above. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was applied together with multiple regression analysis to extract and retain factors. Mean GHQ-12 score for demographic and health-related traits were used for assessing this association. Statistical analysis was carried out using STATA version 12.1. Results Three factors, including social dysfunction, anxiety, and loss of confidence were extracted from the factor structure. 55% of the overall variance was obtained through these factors. Total score of GHQ-12 ranged from 0 to 32 with a mean score of 12. Conclusion Investigation of the factor structure of GHQ-12 demonstrated that GHQ-12 is a good measure for evaluating the general health of Saudi population. Future studies based on a larger sample size of non-clinical respondents will be useful to evaluate the practical effectiveness of GHQ-12 factors

Prevalence of hypertension and prehypertension and its associated cardioembolic risk factors; a population based cross-sectional study in Alkharj, Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background Hypertension and prehypertension pose significant public-health and clinical challenges for both economically developed and developing nations. Prevalence of these conditions are frequently underreported because of its often-silent nature. Population-based studies that explore the occurrence and correlates of these conditions are scarce in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed at estimating the prevalence and associated factors of hypertension and prehypertension on a representative sample of males and females living in Al-Kharj town in Saudi Arabia. Methods Cross-sectional analysis was performed from January 2016 until June 2016 by recruiting a representative sample (n = 1019; aged 18 to 67 years) of the Al Kharj population. All participants completed a self-administered questionnaire, followed by a physical examination and blood test. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 24.0 for Windows. Results The prevalence of prehypertension was 66.1, 48.1 and 54.9% in male, female and all subjects, respectively. The prevalence of hypertension was 6.0, 4.2 and 4.9% in male, female and all subjects, respectively. Being overweight was associated with the highest risk of hypertension (OR = 4.98 [95% C.I. = 1.98–12.52], P = 0.001). People who were classified as class I obese had 3.5 times the risk of hypertension compared with the non-obese group (OR = 3.49 [95% C.I. = 1.42–8.63], P = 0.007). Risk of pre-hypertension was significantly lower in females (OR = 0.48 [95% C.I. = 0.32–0.71]) and tends to increase with obesity status. Gender-specific analyses found that males in the lowest education attainment level had a significantly increased risk of pre-hypertension (OR = 6.56 [95% C.I. = 1.27–33.85], P = 0.003). Conclusion This population-based study in Saudi Arabia shows that hypertension and prehypertension are common conditions particularly among males. Overweight and obesity was associated with both conditions. In addition, lower education attainment was a significantly associated factor among males. Future prospective studies are needed to confirm the etiological nature of such associations

Awareness and acceptance of teleclinic services during COVID-19 in the general population in Riyadh: Cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND: The first COVID-19 case in Saudi Arabia was reported on March 2, 2020. The Saudi government introduced the “937” service number as one of the telemedicine services for COVID-19 information. Telemedicine uses telecommunication and information technologies in the medical field to deliver healthcare services and improve patients' health status. This study aims to estimate the frequency of teleclinics usage during COVID-19, assess awareness of teleclinics, and assess acceptance of teleclinics during COVID-19 in the Saudi population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cross-sectional study used a convenient sample encompassing the 1,583 Saudi and non-Saudi adult population of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and was conducted online between August 2020 and April 2021. A self-administrated online questionnaire was distributed to all participants and data were collected on sociodemographics, knowledge of use of teleclinics, and its acceptance. Analysis of quantitative data by t-test and association of qualitative variables by Chi-square test was conducted. Regression analysis was performed on the significant values of univariate analysis. Data were analyzed by SPSS 25. RESULTS: Most (92.5%) participants were female and had a university education (65.9%). The main reason for using teleclinic was experiencing a new complaint (27.3%), next, for medications refill (13.2%), with COVID-19–related issues being the least common reason for using teleclinic (8.2%). The result shows that 77.1% of participants had a good level of acceptance of teleclinic. The regression analysis showed that number of teleclinics utilization, as an advantage it is more convenient, and recommending this service to someone else was significantly associated with acceptance of teleclinics in future. CONCLUSION: As per the findings, the experience of using teleclinic positively impacts the level of acceptance of teleclinic among the population. The adoption of telemedicine for healthcare delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic helped limit the spread of the infection and reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 for both patients and healthcare providers. In the future, telemedicine can be used as an alternative to minor complaints and follow-up checkups. In this way, the burden of healthcare system can also be overcome

The prevalence of chronic pain and its associated factors among Saudi Al-Kharj population; a cross sectional study

Abstract Background Chronic pain (CP) can be a symptom of many underlying health issues. The consequences of CP may vary from slight discomfort to disruption of quality of life and normal functioning. In this study, we aim to investigate the prevalence of CP and its associated factors in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. Methods This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Al Kharj, Saudi Arabia. We recruited 1031 participants for our study. Data was collected on socio-demographic, health predictors and anthropometric measurements (such as weight, height and waist circumference). The data analysis was performed on JMP®, Version 12. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, 1989–2007. Results The prevalence of self-reported chronic pain in Al Kharj population was 19% with a mean age of 26.4 (SD = 8.6) years. The most common locations of pain included; back pain (30%), abdominal pain (26%), headache (13%), and any musculoskeletal pain (56%). Multiple logistic regression revealed that presence of a chronic disease (OR = 3.8; 95% CI = 2.3–6.2), psychological disease (OR = 2.3; 95% CI = 1.2–4.3), high General Health Questionnaire (GHQ)-12 score (OR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.03–1.1), and pack-years of smoking (OR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.01–1.08) were significantly related to chronic pain in Al Kharj population. Conclusions Our study results found a high burden of chronic pain in this selected Saudi population. The most prevalent pain was low back pain. The presence of chronic and psychological diseases were strongly related to chronic pain. Future prospective studies are needed to establish the temporal relationship of chronic pain with these factors