Knowledge regarding the importance of ultraviolet radiation and protective behaviors for the eye health in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is one of the 19 countries and territories of the International Diabetes Federation Middle east &North Africa (IDF MENA) region. 415 million people have diabetes in the world and more than 35.4 million people in the MENA Region; by 2040 this will rise to 72.1 million. Saudi Arabia is considered as the seventh highest rate in the world in terms of diabetes incidence, with about 3.4 million people having been diagnosed with diabetes in 2015. The recent estimate of the disease showed that 24.4% of the adult population is suffering from DM. Having this high prevalence of diabetes and its complications in Saudi Arabia, there is a need to estimate the awareness of consequences due to diabetes mellitus among the diabetics. In addition, there is a great need to estimate what percentage of diabetics seeks specialist for the assessment of the consequences of diabetes like diabetic retinopathy. Aim of the work: The objective of this study was to investigate among diabetic population of Riyadh region of KSA their awareness, attitude and practices towards this disease and to provide the participants more knowledge for its complications. Materials & Methods: Observational cross sectional survey conducted among Saudi population aged 12 years of age and over who attended diabetic clinic in King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh (KFSH&RC), Saudi Arabia during October 2016. 59 patients were interviewed to answer a questionnaire which included the demographic profile of the patients, details of their diabetes and awareness of its complications on eye health. The data entry and analysis were performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences Program (SPSS) 17th Edition. Results: Age of the patients ranged from 13- 88 years with an average duration of diabetes 8 years. Out of 59 patients, 44 % of the patients were from rural areas, 50% were males, 39% had secondary education, 33% were graduates and above. Only 18% of the patients had their eyes never been checked in the last 12 months. The awareness of complications of diabetes on eye health among the Saudi population recruited in our study was detected in 83 % of the patients. In addition to 82 % of the patient have a regular eye exam. Conclusion: In our study, although 44% of the patients were from rural areas and 33 % were graduates, 82% of the participants were aware that diabetes can affect the eyes indicating that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia had achieved a notable economic growth and improvement in life quality. The study revealed high level of knowledge about importance of monitoring DM among studied population, with no significant difference between males and females.

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Role of community-based measures in adherence to self-protective behaviors during first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia

Health Promotion Perspectives ◽

10.34172/hpp.2021.10 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 69-79

Author(s):

Asma Ayyed AL-Shammary ◽

Sehar un-Nisa Hassan ◽

Aqeela Zahra ◽

Fahad Bin Zafir Algahtani ◽

Shadi Suleiman

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Online Survey ◽

Personal Responsibility ◽

Protective Behaviors ◽

Community Based ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Social Distancing ◽

Second Wave

Background: The expected second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has started in various regions of the world. Public health experts warned that it could be as lethal as the first wave if people did not comply with self-protective measures. Currently, there is a gap in the literature on the relationship between peoples’ assessment of the effectiveness of community-based measures regarding adherence to self-protective behaviors for COVID-19 prevention and control. This study aimed to assess the role of the perceived effectiveness of community-based measures in adherence to self-protective behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The cross-sectional online survey conducted from March 24 to June 22, 2020. The study sample Included 400 participants (49% male and 51% female) from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The outcome measure was compliance to four self-protective behaviors i.e., "social distancing;" "wearing facemask;" "washing hands more frequently;" and "disinfecting surfaces in homes." We computed Chi-square statistics and odds ratios (ORs) using 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: The findings demonstrated that participants aged 25–34 years old were 25% less likely to comply with hand hygiene (OR = 0.75; 95% CI: 0.33–0.95) and social distancing (OR = 0.76; 95% CI: 0.34–0.98). Misconceptions related to COVID-19 significantly decreased compliance with self-protective behaviors by up to 27%. Participants who rated government decisions as useful were approximately 1.7 times more likely to comply with self-protective behaviors. Conclusion: Community-based measures should focus on engaging segments of the population That are currently less compliant. Health education policies should also focus on enhancing the perceived sense of control and personal responsibility and reduce anxiety levels. A continuous commitment to the implementation of preventive interventions and the clarification of misconceptions are required to combat the expected second wave.

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Reactivity to Ultraviolet Radiation Exposure Monitoring Using Personal Exposure Devices; Longitudinal Observational Study (Preprint)

10.2196/preprints.29694 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Bridget G. Parsons ◽

Elizabeth S. Nagelhout ◽

Ali P. Wankier ◽

Nan Hu ◽

Riley Lensink ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Skin Cancer ◽

Ultraviolet Radiation ◽

Perceived Risk ◽

Sun Protection ◽

Monitoring Device ◽

Cancer Worry ◽

Protective Behaviors ◽

Sunscreen Use ◽

Monitoring Devices ◽

Over Time

BACKGROUND Emerging ultraviolet radiation (UVR) monitoring devices may present an opportunity to integrate such technology into skin cancer prevention interventions. However, little is known about the effect of using a wearable UVR monitor on adult’s and children’s sun protection related behaviors and attitudes (e.g., cancer worry, perceived risk). OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to examine potential reactivity associated with a wearable personal UVR monitor, specifically effects associated with reported sun protective behaviors and skin cancer-related attitudes. METHODS Child-parent dyads (n=97 dyads) were asked to wear a UVR monitoring device during waking hours for two weeks. Participants completed self-report questionnaires assessing sun protective behaviors, sunburn, tanning, skin self-exam, skin cancer related knowledge, perceived risk, cancer worry, response efficacy, and intentions to change behaviors over the two-week period. Linear regressions were conducted to investigate change over time in outcomes, and to account for the role of season of study participation. RESULTS ion outcomes including time spent outdoors, sunscreen use, reapplication, and unintentional tanning. Additionally, season of participation was associated with several outcomes including sunscreen use, reapplication, and unintentional tanning. In contrast, there were no significant changes over time in children’s and parent’s UVR exposure, sunburn occurrence, or sun protection behaviors and related attitudes. CONCLUSIONS The findings from this study suggest that daily use of a UVR monitoring device over a two-week period may result in changes in certain sun protective behaviors. These results highlight the importance of identifying and addressing potential reactivity to UVR monitoring devices, especially in the context of skin cancer preventive intervention research.

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LEVEL OF AWARENESS AMONG STUDENTS IN TAIF UNIVERSITY TOWARD KERATOCONUS, TAIF, SAUDI ARABIA

International Journal of Advanced Research ◽

10.21474/ijar01/13488 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (09) ◽

pp. 832-839

Author(s):

Rahma A. Algethami ◽

◽

Layla M. Alkhaldi ◽

Abeer I. Alsulaimani ◽

Aymen A. Atalla ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Demographic Data ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Good Knowledge ◽

Sectional Study ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Eye Health ◽

Awareness Programs ◽

Insufficient Knowledge

Objectives:To determine the level of awareness of keratoconus (KC)among students at Taif University in Taif, Saudi Arabia. Subjects and Methods:A cross-sectional study was done on 957 students from Taif university, KSAfrom March to August 2021. An online-based survey was done using a pr-designed questionnaire that included items on socio-demographic data, having KC, and awareness about KC. Results: 33.8% of students heard about KC, 12.7% heard about it from social media, and 29.5% reported that KC is a thin protruded cornea. Almost half 53.6% reported that KC might lead to myopia, 24.6% is related to allergy, 33.9% thought it is hereditary and the majority 49.2% did not know its treatment. The prevalence of poor, fair, and good knowledge regarding KC was 48.9%, 38.1%, and 13% respectively. Femalessignificantlyknewthe relationship between KC and myopia, allergy, and heredity, did not know KC treatment and had good knowledge aboutKCcompared to males. Non-medical students had a significanthigher percent of those who knew that KC is a thin protruded cornea but did not know KC treatment. Conclusion: This study revealed insufficient knowledge regarding KC among studied students. This is a need to increase awareness about KC through health awareness programs and community campaigns for better eye health.

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Measurement and assessment of ultraviolet radiation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

International Journal of Sustainable Energy ◽

10.1080/01425910310001610529 ◽

2003 ◽

Vol 23 (1-2) ◽

pp. 31-38 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. Bin Mahfoodh ◽

M. S. Al-Ayed ◽

A. M. Al-Dhafiri

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Ultraviolet Radiation

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Parents' knowledge and practices about child eye health care in Saudi Arabia

International Journal of Medicine in Developing Countries ◽

10.24911/ijmdc.51-1577288335 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 454-460

Author(s):

Abdulrahman Baashar ◽

Ammar Yaseen ◽

Mohammed Halawani ◽

Waleed Alharbi ◽

Ghaith Alhazmi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Health Care ◽

Saudi Arabia ◽

Eye Health

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Correlation Between Ultraviolet Radiation and Global Radiation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Journal of Solar Energy Engineering ◽

10.1115/1.2930067 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 116 (1) ◽

pp. 63-66 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

A. M. Mujahid

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Ultraviolet Radiation ◽

Global Radiation ◽

Mean Value ◽

Horizontal Surface ◽

Monthly Average ◽

Hourly Basis ◽

Regression Correlation ◽

Good Agreement

The global ultraviolet and global radiation were measured and recorded on an hourly basis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (lat. 24.6°N, long. 46.7°) during the period 1984–1989. Global radiation, G, was measured by an Eppley PSP pyranometer (0.285≤λ≤2.8 μm) and an Eppley TUVR radiometer (0.29≤λ≤0.385 μm) was used for the measurement of the ultraviolet radiation, UV. Both instruments were mounted on a horizontal surface. The results showed that the monthly average daily ultraviolet radiation was 197.6 Whm−2. The ratio of the monthly average daily ultraviolet radiation to the monthly average daily global radiation (Ku) varied between 0.031 to 0.037, with a mean value of 0.034. Comparison with results obtained in Kuwait, Dhahran, and Makkah showed that the data of Riyadh are in good agreement with those of Makkah and Dhahran; however, it underestimates Kuwait data. A regression correlation between Ku and KT (the ratio of the monthly average daily values of global radiation to extraterrestrial radiation) is developed. Another regression correlation between ultraviolet and global radiation on an hourly basis is also developed.

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