Prevalence of Khat chewing in college and secondary (high) school students of Jazan region, Saudi Arabia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Khat is widely consumed among the youth of Jazan region of Saudi Arabia. However, its prevalence is not well documented.</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>This study was conducted to assess the prevalence and associated risk factors of khat chewing among college and secondary school students in Jazan region.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The study was conducted in May 2006 in the colleges and secondary schools in Jazan region. A sample of 10,000 students aged between 15 and 25 years was randomly selected. Students in each year of study were selected by systematic random sampling technique. Self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The overall prevalence of khat chewing in all the studied population was 21.4% (colleges 15.2% versus schools 21.5%). There were 3.8% female khat chewers and 37.70% male Khat chewers. Significant differences were found between khat chewers according to age, gender and residence (p < 0.05). The prevalence was different in different colleges and in different provinces of Jazan region.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The prevalence of Khat chewing seems to be high among male students and not remarkable among female students. The use of Khat is significantly associated with age, gender, residence and school and college education (p < 0.05) among students of Jazan region. Strong measures need to be taken for greater awareness among school and college students to reduce its prevalence.</p

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Brucellosis in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia

Purpose: Brucellosis is responsible for considerable public health issues involving economic losses due to abortion, loss of milk production and infertility in adult males. The purpose of this study was to determine the sero-prevalence of brucellosis in Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia and assess the possible risk factors.Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in three geographical areas of Jazan Province, Saudi Arabia. The study sample included 400 participants from randomly selected primary health care centres. A standardised questionnaire was used to collect information on demographics and risk factors for brucellosis. A 5 ml blood sample was collected from each study participant. The SPSS statistical program was utilised for data analysis.Results: The overall sero-prevalence of brucellosis in Jazan Province was 13.4 % and was higher among participants ≥ 40 years old (20 %) than those &lt; 40 years (12 %). Prevalence was significantly higher among rural (39.3 %; 95 % confidence interval [CI], 29.8 – 49.7) than urban populations (4.6 %; 95 % CI, 2.7 – 7.9), in Saudis (14.5 %; 95 % CI, 11.1 – 18.8) than non-Saudis (3.0 %; 95 % CI, 7.0 – 15.3) and in males (16.4 %; 95 % CI, 12.2 – 21.6) than females (7.1 %; 95 % CI, 3.7 – 13.4).Conclusion: These results indicate the need for a vaccination program in Jazan Province and for public awareness campaign activities to combat and eradicate the disease.Keywords: Sero-prevalence, Brucellosis, Milk, Vaccination, Public awareness campaig

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Hepatitis B Virus among Pregnant Women in Jazan Region- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Background: Hepatitis B virus is one of the major etiological agents for parenterally acquired hepatitis. Viral hepatitis during pregnancy is associated with high risk of maternal complications. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of HBV infection in pregnant women, and to find out its associated risk factors in Jazan region south KSA. Patients &amp; Methods: A random sample of 537 pregnant females who attended Jazan general hospital and randomly selected primary health care centers in Jazan region - before 38 weeks of gestation - constituted the target population of the present study. All women were screened for HBsAgd by using HBsAg Rapid Test Device (ACON). Results: The overall prevalence of HBV virus among the women was found to be 4.1% (95% CI: 2.7 - 6.1). The prevalence of HBV according to age showed that women less than 20 years are free of HBV, whereas for other age groups HBV prevalence is found to increase with increase in age. Regarding the associated risk factors, women  with  history of hospitalization, and  jaundices showed a significant association with anti- HBV seropositive. Dental histories, blood transfusion and history of surgery did not prove significant association with  HBV. Conclusion: Prevalence of Hepatitis B virus infection in pregnant ladies was 4.1%. Past history of hospitalization and jaundices are important risk factors for transmission of infection. The study suggests expansion of the Hepatitis B vaccination program to reduce the risk of HBV among pregnant women. Key words: Hepatitis B virus, Pregnancy, Prevalence, Risk factors

Effects of a Home-Based Physical Activity Programme on Blood Biomarkers and Health-Related Quality of Life Indices in Saudi Arabian Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients: Protocol for a Randomised Controlled Trial

© 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is renowned for its high incidence of type-2 diabetes mellitus, with a prevalence rate of around 33%, which is expected to increase to 45.8% by 2030. Engagement in regular physical activity has been shown to significantly attenuate non-communicable diseases including type-2 diabetes. However, the overall rate of physical inactivity among Saudi Arabian adults is currently 80.5%, owing to time pressures, high-density traffic, poor air quality, lack of suitable exercise places/sports facilities, lack of social/friends support, gender, cultural barriers, low self-confidence, lack of time and environmental factors. Previous analyses have shown that home-based activity interventions can be effective. Therefore, given the aforementioned barriers to physical activity in Saudi Arabia; a home-based physical activity may be an ideal solution in type-2 diabetic patients. This manuscript describes the study protocol for a randomized control trial, examining the effects of a home-based physical activity intervention in Saudi Arabian adults with type-2 diabetes. The study will recruit 62 individuals with type-2 diabetes from the Jazan region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, who will be individually randomized to either a physical activity or control group. This 24-week investigation will involve 12-weeks of physical activity in the physical activity group and feature three examination points i.e., baseline, 12-weeks and 24-weeks (follow-up). The primary study outcome is the between-group difference in blood HbA1c levels relative to controls. Secondary outcomes measures will be between-group differences in anthropometric, blood lipid, physical fitness, and patient-reported quality of life outcomes pertinent to type-2 diabetes. Statistical analysis will be conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. The trial has been granted ethical approval by Jazan University, Health Research Ethics Committee (REF: 2177) and formally registered as a trial (NCT04937296). We expect dissemination of the study findings from this investigation to be through publication in a leading peer-reviewed journal.Peer reviewedFinal Published versio

Digital X-Ray Imaging: Emphasis Can Be Placed On Developments In Digital X-Ray Technologies And Their Applications In Diagnosis And Treatment.

Digital X-ray imaging has revolutionized medical diagnostics, offering significant advantages over traditional film-based methods. In this study, we explore recent developments in digital X-ray technologies and their impact on medical practice. Our objectives include understanding the transition from film to digital radiography, examining the role of computed tomography (CT) scans, and evaluating the potential of photon-counting CT. Additionally, we discuss applications in diagnosis and treatment, emphasizing the economic and representational nature of early cinema. This research contributes to the ongoing evolution of X-ray imaging, bridging gaps in previous research and addressing language barriers. Keywords: digital radiography, CT scans, early cinema, medical imaging

Evaluation of a new community-based curriculum in disaster medicine for undergraduates

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, many medical schools include training in disaster medicine in undergraduate studies. This study evaluated the efficacy of a disaster medicine curriculum recently designed for Saudi Arabian medical students. METHODS: Participants were 15 male and 14 female students in their fourth, fifth or sixth year at Jazan University Medical School, Saudi Arabia. The course was held at the Research Center in Emergency and Disaster Medicine and Computer Sciences Applied to the Medical Practice in Novara, Italy. RESULTS: The overall mean score on a test given before the course was 41.0 % and it increased to 67.7 % on the post-test (Wilcoxon test for paired samples: z = 4.71, p < 0.0001). There were no significant differences between the mean scores of males and females, or between students in their fourth, fifth or sixth year of medical school. CONCLUSIONS: These results show that this curriculum is effective for teaching disaster medicine to undergraduate medical students. Adoption of this course would help to increase the human resources available for dealing with disaster situations

Long-term diabetes-related severe complications among individuals with T2DM in Jazan, Saudi Arabia

Objective: To explore the patterns and prevalence of complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Jazan region. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with a sample (n=281) of the Jazan population attending Jazan Diabetes Centre. A structured questionnaire was used for data collection, and the statistical analysis was performed using SPSS ver. 17.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) software. Results: The prevalence of one or more complications due to T2DM was 42.7%, which was significantly increased with age, BMI and T2DM duration. The prevalence also differed significantly according to gender and participation in exercise (P0.05). The prevalence of retinopathy was estimated as 32.4% and significantly differed according to gender, age groups, participation in exercise and BMI categories (P value < 0.05 for all). The multivariate logistic regression analysis suggested that the most important independent predictors of T2DM complications were T2DM duration (11-15 years) (P=0.028, OR=3.54) and having T2DM for more than 15 years (P=0.013, OR=5.38). Conclusions: This study reveals a high prevalence of long-term complications among T2DM patients attending Jazan Diabetes center. T2DM prevention and proper T2DM management strategies are strongly needed to minimize the burden of the disease due to T2DM complications

Challenges For The Integration Of SaudiMED Competencies Into The UGME Curriculum: Deans' Views

SaudiMED competencies are a system recently adopted by the National Commission for Academic Assessment and Accreditation (NCAAA) that represents the target of achievement when developing the undergraduate medical curriculum. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the challenges for the integration of SaudiMED competencies into the evidence-based undergraduate medical education (UGME) curriculum based on the perspectives of Deans of Saudi Medial Colleges. The study is an observational questionnaire-based cross-sectional study conducted among Deans of Saudi Medical Schools. The study was conducted to cover all intended population, given that all members of Saudi Medical Deans Committee were invited to participate. Seventeen out of 26 Deans of Schools of Medicine in Saudi Arabian universities responded to the questionnaire. Ten out of the 17 Deans stated that the integration of SaudiMED had started at their school. Approximately 17% of the Deans began implementing the SaudiMED between 2011 and 2013. Factors that aided in the integration of SaudiMED in the undergraduate medical curriculum include the commitment of well-trained authorities, adoption of new methods, and staff development programs led by experts, whereas challenges involved resistance of teaching staff to change, the use of a traditional curriculum, and the lack of a quality assurance system. In conclusion, Deans reflected a strong awareness regarding challenges and successful interventions. The main challenges include the resistance of teaching staff to change, the use of traditional curriculum, and the lack of a quality assurance system. Interventions needed for successful integration include faculty commitment, faculty development programs, and a strong quality assurance syste

HEALTH AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH KHAT CONSUMPTION

The consumption of the stimulant leaf Khat (Catha edulis Forsk) is widespread in several countries of East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula. The leaf comes from a small evergreen shrub that can grow to the size of a tree. Young buds and tender leaves are chewed to attain a state of euphoria and stimulation. Khat leaves contain cathinones, an active brain stimulant that is similar in structure and pharmacological activity to amphetamines. Like amphetamines, Khat ingestion in low doses results in decreased appetite, euphoria, increased intellectual efficiency, and hyperalertness