Evaluating the readiness of mobile technology in Saudi Arabia: An Integrative Perspective with respect to e-health (Preprint)

Mapping Intimacies ◽

10.2196/preprints.22896 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Fahad Alanezi

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Health System ◽

Mobile Phones ◽

Personal Data ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Health Apps ◽

History Of ◽

Vision 2030 ◽

Awareness Programs

UNSTRUCTURED E-health system is emerging and providing health services and solutions through different electronic gadgets. Saudi Arabia has launched a program called Saudi Arabia vision 2030, in which providing state-of-the-art health facilities to their citizen is of topmost priority. After all the efforts, the residents of Saudi Arabia are still reluctant for the adaptation of e-health system. The current study was conducted to evaluate the obstacle in adoption of the e-health system through the mobile phones. The current study was cross-sectional survey and was conducted by developing a self-administered structured questionnaire asking the utilization of mobile phone in state of health emergency prior to ask any medical history. Majority of the participants was married and doing jobs in different firms and have their personal mobile phones (p = 0.100, > 0.05) which indicates easily access to the e-health apps. The majority of the participants suffers from either obesity or high blood pressure (p = 0.018, < 0.05) regardless of either history of mental disorder or other family history of mental diseases. The pattern of diseases with mental disorders correlate well with adoption of e-health in government policies. The obstacles in adopting e-health includes fear of the loss of personal data and information (p = 0.0401, < 0.05). Moreover, they did not trust on online medications as the doctor cannot prescribe medicines without seeing physical health of the patient. The current study concluded that by making improvement in policies and proper commercializing the e-health apps together with awareness programs can boast the adoption of e-health in Saudi Arabia.

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Mental Health of COVID-19 Patients—A Cross-Sectional Survey in Saudi Arabia

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094758 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4758

Author(s):

Hasan Saeed Alamri ◽

Wesam F. Mousa ◽

Abdullah Algarni ◽

Shehata F. Megahid ◽

Ali Al Bshabshe ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Personal Data ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Work Related ◽

Patients Experience ◽

Self Administered Questionnaire

Background: This study aims to investigate the mental health of COVID-19 patients in Saudi Arabia. Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out targeting confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. Due to travel and time constraints as well as the accessibility of patients, cases were included from East Jeddah Hospital, King Abdulaziz Hospital, and the Oncology Center in Jeddah. The data were collected using a predesigned self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire addressed COVID-19 cases, personal data, medical history, smoking, traveling abroad, and work-related conditions. Additionally, data regarding contact level with COVID-19 cases were considered. The mental health statuses of the patients were assessed using a validated Arabic version of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) scale. The study included 261 COVID-19 patients whose ages ranged from 18 to 65 years. Results: The survey findings revealed that 13% of COVID-19 patients had a borderline level of anxiety, 26.8% were considered anxiety cases, while 60.2% were normal. The findings also revealed that 29.9% had a borderline level of depression, 18.4% were considered depression cases, while 51.7% were normal. Conclusions: This study concluded that COVID-19 patients experience anxiety and depression, and as the COVID-19 epidemic continues to spread, the results of the study are particularly useful in developing a strategy to psychologically support COVID-19 patients.

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Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Among the Public in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Cross-Sectional Survey-Based Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.14640 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Khalid A Alshehri ◽

Omar M Saggaf ◽

Hussein M Alshamrani ◽

Abdulrahman Mutlaq Alnefaie ◽

Khalid B Alghamdi

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Family History ◽

Eustachian Tube ◽

Eustachian Tube Dysfunction ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Public ◽

Tube Dysfunction ◽

History Of

BACKGROUND Obstruction of the Eustachian tube is a common condition that is unpleasant and might lead to various middle ear disorders. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) among the public in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS This cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted in Jeddah during August 2018 by distributing an electronic survey form to participants from different districts of the city. All male and female residents of Jeddah aged 10 years and above had the chance to participate in this study. RESULTS A total of 2372 participants (female, 1535/2372, 64.71%; male, 837/2372, 35.28%; mean age 31.31 years, SD 11.85 years) agreed to contribute to our study. Upon analysis of their answers to the questionnaire, the overall prevalence of ETD in our sample was found to be 42.49% (1008/2372). The prevalence was higher among participants who reported a previous diagnosis of ETD and hearing loss (1897/2372, 80.00% and 1902/2372, 80.21%, respectively). Additionally, participants with a family history of hearing loss had a significantly higher prevalence (1136/2372, 47.92%) of ETD than those with no family history of hearing loss. Our analysis also showed that females were at a greater risk of developing ETD than males (<i>P</i>=.01). CONCLUSIONS As per our prevalence data, ETD is a common disease in Jeddah, pointing to the need for more attention, awareness, and research.

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Prevalence of and Factors Associated With Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Among the Public in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Cross-Sectional Survey-Based Study

Interactive Journal of Medical Research ◽

10.2196/14640 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. e14640

Author(s):

Khalid A Alshehri ◽

Omar M Saggaf ◽

Hussein M Alshamrani ◽

Abdulrahman Mutlaq Alnefaie ◽

Khalid B Alghamdi

Keyword(s):

Hearing Loss ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Family History ◽

Eustachian Tube ◽

Eustachian Tube Dysfunction ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Public ◽

Tube Dysfunction ◽

History Of

Background Obstruction of the Eustachian tube is a common condition that is unpleasant and might lead to various middle ear disorders. Objective This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) among the public in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods This cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted in Jeddah during August 2018 by distributing an electronic survey form to participants from different districts of the city. All male and female residents of Jeddah aged 10 years and above had the chance to participate in this study. Results A total of 2372 participants (female, 1535/2372, 64.71%; male, 837/2372, 35.28%; mean age 31.31 years, SD 11.85 years) agreed to contribute to our study. Upon analysis of their answers to the questionnaire, the overall prevalence of ETD in our sample was found to be 42.49% (1008/2372). The prevalence was higher among participants who reported a previous diagnosis of ETD and hearing loss (1897/2372, 80.00% and 1902/2372, 80.21%, respectively). Additionally, participants with a family history of hearing loss had a significantly higher prevalence (1136/2372, 47.92%) of ETD than those with no family history of hearing loss. Our analysis also showed that females were at a greater risk of developing ETD than males (P=.01). Conclusions As per our prevalence data, ETD is a common disease in Jeddah, pointing to the need for more attention, awareness, and research.

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Asthma Knowledge and Behaviors among Hairdressing Salon Employees in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Journal of Internal Medicine ◽

10.32790/sjim.2018.8.1.5 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 33-41

Author(s):

Ahmed A. Aljohaney ◽

Shahad M. Daali ◽

Shorooq H. Allohaibi ◽

Liqaa F. Alghamdi ◽

Maha M. Alshareef ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Future Research ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Asthma Knowledge ◽

Adequate Knowledge ◽

History Of ◽

Knowledge Levels ◽

Knowledge And Practice ◽

Employment Education

Objectives: To assess asthma knowledge among salon employees and to examine their behaviors toward protective devices. Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted between July and September 2016. Thirty-five salons were randomly selected of the 785 salons in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A total of 160 employees were interviewed using the Chicago Community Asthma Survey to assess their knowledge about asthma and their behaviors in response to chemicals in the workplace. Results: The participants’ mean age was 34 years; 28% of participants were hairdressers. Moreover, 30% of employees only possessed adequate knowledge about asthma. Education level (p = 0.044), Saudi nationality (p = 0.003), and a family history of asthma (p = 0.008) were significantly related to knowledge level. Further, a significant gap was noted between employees’ knowledge of the benefits of masks and gloves and the practice of wearing these devices while working. Conclusions: Asthma knowledge among most salon employees was inadequate, and a significant gap was found between employees’ knowledge and practice. Pre-employment education programs about asthma are recommended and may enhance the knowledge levels among this group of workers. In addition, future research directed to further understanding the gap between employees’ knowledge levels of the benefits of masks and gloves, and their actual implementation at work, is needed. Efforts are required to bridge this gap to protect employees in the workplace.

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Elucidation of Practices of Mobile Phone Hygiene and Identification of the Microorganisms: A Perspective Study from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Journal of Pure and Applied Microbiology ◽

10.22207/jpam.14.3.14 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 14 (3) ◽

pp. 1761-1768

Author(s):

Mohannad A. AlOmani ◽

Razique Anwer ◽

Abdulelah M. Sandoqa ◽

Fahad G. Alshareef ◽

Abdulaziz Almuzayrie ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Mobile Phone ◽

Mobile Phones ◽

Evidence Base ◽

Personal Hygiene ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Coagulase Negative Staphylococci ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Tissue Paper ◽

Microorganism Identification

Mobile phones (MPs) have become a tool for the transmission of microorganisms due to lack of personal hygiene and maybe the sharing of the mobile phone by more than one person that which leads it to be a suitable carrier for microbes. This study aimed to draw a bead on the practices of hygiene of MPs among people living in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, by performing a cross-sectional survey of 204 participants. The response rate of this study was above ~95%. Results showed that 19.6 % of responders clean their MPs once in a day, but the majority (33.8%) never cleaned their MPs. More than a quarter of the respondents (28.4%) use tissue paper to clean MPs. Among the users, ~60% use MPs while eating, 76% realized that their MPs might be resource of transmitting microorganisms. The study was also carried out using standard techniques to identify and count the bacterial contamination using the MPs. A combined number of 75 MPs of the participants in the shopping malls of Riyadh were screened for microorganism identification. From 75 public MPs, 109 bacteria were isolated. Coagulase-negative staphylococci were the predominant organisms isolate (76.1%) and with 1.8% by Staphylococcus aureus. Micrococcus sps. was also found (12.8%). A small number of Kocuria sps. were also isolated (4.6%). These results showed that common peoples’ mobile phones were contaminated with various types of microorganisms. The results provide an evidence base for the development and enhancement of hygienic MPs using practices.

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Prevalence of Anxiety and Depression during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International ◽

10.9734/jpri/2020/v32i2730857 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 65-73

Author(s):

Abdullah Hassan Alhalafi

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

General Population ◽

Vulnerable Groups ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Binary Logistic Regression Analysis ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Web Based ◽

Riyadh City ◽

History Of

Today, every continent in the world is affected by the novel coronavirus2019 (COVID-19). Saudi Arabia has also suffered from this highly contagious, socially disruptive, infectious disease. Our aim was to assess the anxiety and depression prevalence and identify the associated risk factors among the general population of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia, during COVID-19 outbreak. This cross-sectional study was conducted using a web-based survey. A total of 651 participants were recruited who were ≥18 years old and lived in Riyadh city during the COVID-19 pandemic. We collected sociodemographic information of the participants and assessed their COVID-19-related knowledge assessment. We used the Arabic versions of the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire and the Patient Health Questionnaire to assess the status of an individual’s anxiety and depression, respectively. We observed 28.7% and 25.5% prevalence of depression and anxiety among the general population, respectively. Females, younger people (age < 35 years), and unmarried persons showed a significantly higher prevalence of anxiety and depression. Binary logistic regression analysis also revealed that female gender, age younger than 35 years, having history of psychiatric diseases, and spending more than one hour per day on following COVID-19 news were associated with anxiety and depression. Retired participants were less likely to suffer from anxiety or depression during the pandemic. In this study, females, younger people (age < 35 years), and individuals with history of psychiatric patients were identified as vulnerable groups who need support during this crisis. We also recommend that the general public must limit their time of watching and following COVID-19-related news.

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Suicidal Ideation Among Medical Students in Dammam, Saudi Arabia

Crisis ◽

10.1027/0227-5910/a000720 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 1-6

Author(s):

Mohammed Madadin ◽

Ritesh G. Menezes ◽

Maha A. Alassaf ◽

Abdulaziz M. Almulhim ◽

Mahdi S. Abumadini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Medical Students ◽

Suicidal Ideation ◽

General Health Questionnaire ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Eastern Province ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

The Past ◽

Depression Subscale ◽

History Of

Abstract. Background: Medical students are at high risk of suicidal ideation. Aim: We aimed to obtain information on suicidal ideation among medical students in Dammam located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of Medicine affiliated with Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Suicidal ideation in the past 12 months was assessed based on responses to four questions in the depression subscale of the General Health Questionnaire 28 (GHQ-28). In addition, data were collected to examine the association of suicidal ideation with various factors. Results: We found that 1 in 3 medical students in the study had suicidal ideation in the past 12 months, while around 40% had lifetime suicidal ideation. Suicidal ideation was associated with feelings of parental neglect, history of physical abuse, and dissatisfaction with academic performance. Limitations: The cross-sectional nature of this study limits its ability to determine causality regarding suicidal ideation. Conclusion: These rates are considerably high when compared with rates from studies in other countries around the world. This study provides a reference in the field of suicidology for this region of Saudi Arabia.

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