Assessing the awareness, knowledge, and attitudes of adults in the general population in Saudi Arabia towards testicular torsion: A cross-sectional study

Introduction: Testicular torsion (TT) is a rare but urgent condition; it leads to severe pain and swelling that must be diagnosed and treated immediately, where there is an expectant period of 6–8 h. It is an important prognostic factor in the arrival time to the emergency department. Raising awareness about TT is essential to ensure early diagnosis and timely treatment, which can prevent irreversible damage and loss of fertility. Aim: Our study aimed to measure the awareness, knowledge, and attitude toward testicular torsion (TT) among the general population in Saudi Arabia. Subject and Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted among the general population living in Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the population using an online survey. The questionnaire includes socio-demographic characteristics (i.e., age, gender, region, etc.), a questionnaire to assess the knowledge of testicular torsion, and questionnaires to assess the prevalence, management, and attitude toward testicular torsion. Results: Of the 473 participants, 56% were males, and 61% were aged between 18 to 30 years old. Unfortunately, One quarter of our population has a good knowledge level about testicular torsion. The overall mean knowledge about Testicular Torsion score was below average (3 out of 8 points). Factors associated with increased knowledge include younger age, male gender, living in the Central Region, working in the medical field, having heard of testicular torsion, and having a personal or family history of testicular torsion. Conclusion: In conclusion, there was a lack of testicular torsion knowledge among the general population. Further studies and social campaigns should be done to encourage the general population's understanding and increase their knowledge level

Investigation on the Factors Associated with the Persistence of Anosmia and Ageusia in Saudi COVID-19 Patients

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) resulted in a worldwide pandemic of a highly infectious disease. The difficulty of dealing with COVID-19 is the broad spectrum of clinical manifestations that involves various pathophysiological mechanisms, severities, duration, and complications. This study aims to help emphasize the factors related to the persistence and duration of anosmia (loss of smell) and ageusia (loss of taste) as part of post-acute COVID-19 syndrome in Saudi COVID-19 patients via a retrospective cross-sectional design. Eight hundred and eighty-one participants were recruited between March and April 2021. Those participants were 18 years or older, recovered from the COVID-19 infection, and completed 14 days after the onset of the acute phase of the disease. Among the 881 recruited participants, 808 have submitted eligible responses and were included in data analyses. The most common persistent symptoms in post-acute COVID-19 syndrome were anosmia (33.8%) and ageusia (26.4%). The data also showed a significant association between female sex and the incidence and the persistence of anosmia and ageusia. In multivariable analysis, anosmia during the acute phase was associated with BMI, asthma and shortness of breath, while anosmia during the post-acute phase was associated with sex. Ageusia during the acute phase was associated with sex, myalgia and arthralgia, while ageusia in the post-acute phase was associated with sex