A Preliminary Report on Cleft Deformities of the Face and associated Anomalies in Abha, Saudi Arabia

Background – Congenital hypoplasia of depressor angularis oris muscle (CHDAOM), which is often confused with unilateral facial nerve palsy, is a rare congenital disorder presenting with asymmetric crying facies in a newborn. Accurate diagnosis of this condition is imperative in order to ensure further screening to rule out associated anomalies and appropriate management. We report a late preterm male Clinical description – neonate who was noticed to have facial asymmetry selectively during episodes of crying. During quiet or sleeping state, the face was symmetrical. Clinical examination did not reveal any other facial abnormality or any evidence of facial nerve palsy. Associated anomalies were Management – ruled out by thorough evaluation. In view of isolated CHDAOM, parents were explained regarding benign course of the condition. The neonate was discharged after an uneventful hospital stay. This case report emphasizes the importance of a Conclusion – detailed clinical examination in the diagnosis of CHDOAM. CHDOAM, if occurring in isolation, is a benign condition and does not require any intervention. Parental counselling is the cornerstone of management. However, the diagnosis of CHDAOM should raise suspicion for other associated congenital anomalies and warrants a thorough evaluation.

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Healthcare System Accessibility in the Face of Increasing Privatisation in Saudi Arabia: Lessons From Australia

Global Journal of Health Science ◽

10.5539/gjhs.v10n7p111 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 111 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Abdullah Ghthaith Almutairi ◽

Hilal Al Shamsi

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Health Services ◽

Literature Review ◽

Health Outcomes ◽

Population Health ◽

Administrative Costs ◽

The Face ◽

Negative Effect ◽

Vision 2030 ◽

Do So

BACKGROUND: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) is a developing nation with significant resources to improve the nations population health and a planned objective to do so with its Vision 2030 plan. Nonetheless to achieve national strategic goals in health policy and outcomes, the structures and methods necessary to do so must first be elucidated, and outcomes of proposed actions must be appropriately predicted. The primary purpose of this literature review is to compare and critically analyse the structural and policy aspects of the Australian and KSA health systems to offer insights into the potential mechanics of developing further health system accessibility within the KSA. Importantly, this review addresses the issue of accessibility in the context of the recently proposed privatisation of hundreds of services throughout the KSA as a major component of the Vision 2030 plan.METHOD: 43 peer-reviewed articles were identified using the PRISMA approach and systematically analysed to determine the effects of policy changes in the 2030 Vision to the accessibility of healthcare, in particular the effect of privatisation, as observed in other nations such as Australia.FINDINGS & DISCUSSION: the literature review demonstrated that privatisation can, but does not always, lead to productivity and efficiency gains, however privatisation also leads to increasing administrative costs and service cost inflation. Health outcomes or service quality indicators are not significantly affected by privatisation. It is probable that privatising health services will reduce accessibility to health services in some subsets of the population.CONCLUSION: according to the international evidence, the proposed plan to privatise health services in the KSA will probably have a negative effect on the accessibility of health services and downstream improvement in population health outcomes. If inappropriate governance is not implemented, the plan to privatise services also carries the risk of decreasing access to vulnerable populations and threatens health equity and needs-based health care.

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Perceptions of, and Practices for Coping with, Heat Exposure among Male Arab Pilgrims to the Hajj, 1436

Prehospital and Disaster Medicine ◽

10.1017/s1049023x19000025 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 34 (02) ◽

pp. 161-174 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Zayid K. Al Mayahi ◽

Ibrahim Ali Kabbash

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Heat Exposure ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Health Concern ◽

Health Issues ◽

Coping Behaviors ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Excessive Heat ◽

The Face ◽

Earth’S Climate

Background:The problems associated with exposure to excessive heat are a key health concern throughout the world, and are likely to become increasingly important as Earth’s climate warms. Heat exposure is particularly problematic when large groups of people gather, but there is relatively little literature on the subject. Islam requires all adherents who are able to undertake a pilgrimage to Mecca (Saudi Arabia), known as the Hajj. This can result in huge numbers of pilgrims travelling to Mecca in the summer months, during which the temperatures can be very high, and to undertake physically demanding activities.Objective:The aim of this study was to identify the perception level of heat-related health issues and the coping behaviors adopted by pilgrims in the face of excessive heat exposure.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted in Mecca, Saudi Arabia among male Arab pilgrims performing Hajj of the Islamic calendar year 1436 (Summer 2015). Sample was divided into two strata: domestic pilgrims and international Arabs. A total of 14 camps were selected randomly, seven from each stratum. A total of 412 participants completed the questionnaire.Results:Mean age was 43.48 (SD = 13.42) years. Majority of pilgrims had never performed Hajj before (68.2%). Almost 89.5% among pilgrims more than 40 years of age had more water intake compared to only 76.5% for people under 40 years. Only 7.3% of educated people used to go out at noon time, and almost two-fold of pilgrims with lower educational level did so (15.4%). Approximately 51.8% among those who were aware of Mecca’s weather used cotton clothes, compared to 36.0% among pilgrims unaware of Mecca’s weather.Conclusion:This study reveals the extent of pilgrims’ understanding of, and abilities to cope with, excessive heat and also suggests coping strategies and options for improved understanding of heat-related health issues world-wide.Al Mayahi ZK, Ali Kabbash I. Perceptions of, and practices for coping with, heat exposure among male Arab pilgrims to the Hajj, 1436. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2019;34(2):161–174

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Saudi Arabia’s Soft Power

International Studies ◽

10.1177/0020881714532707 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 49 (3-4) ◽

pp. 233-261 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Giulio Gallarotti ◽

Isam Yahia Al-Filali

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Shock Waves ◽

Soft Power ◽

Arab Spring ◽

Its Region ◽

The World ◽

The Face ◽

Cultural Power ◽

Oil Wealth ◽

The Arab Spring

When people are asked the question, what is the source of Saudi Arabia’s power, who would cite factors other than oil? This equation of Saudi power exclusively with its oil wealth is mistaken. Historically, a principal and the most consistent source of Saudi power at the domestic, regional and global levels has not been revenues from oil, but the cultural power that inheres in a nation that is both the capital of the Muslim and Arab worlds. This soft power accounts for as much, if not more, of Saudi influence than even oil itself. To a large extent, this power explains why Saudi Arabia has remained stout in the face of the shock waves of the Arab Spring. Saudi soft power also accounts for much of the leverage that the Kingdom enjoys in its region and the world at large. This article assesses the principal sources of Saudi Arabia’s soft power, discusses the modern day international, regional and domestic challenges facing Saudi Arabia, and finally analyzes how Saudi soft power can effectively deal with those challenges.

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Pattern of Cleft Lip and Palate in Hospital-Based Population in Saudi Arabia: Retrospective Study

The Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Journal ◽

10.1597/06-246.1 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 45 (6) ◽

pp. 592-596 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Aziza Aljohar ◽

Kandasamy Ravichandran ◽

Shazia Subhani

Keyword(s):

Saudi Arabia ◽

Cleft Palate ◽

Cleft Lip ◽

Cleft Lip And Palate ◽

Tertiary Care ◽

Positive Family History ◽

Care Hospital ◽

Associated Anomalies ◽

Cleft Lip Palate ◽

Isolated Cleft Palate

Objective: To report the patterns of cleft lip and/or cleft palate in Saudi Arabia from data collected at a tertiary care hospital. Design and Setting: King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Riyadh. Patients: All the cleft lip and/or cleft palate patients registered in the Cleft Lip/Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies Registry from June 1999 to December 2005. Results: Retrospectively, 807 cases of cleft lip and/or palate were registered. There were 451 boys and 356 girls. Cleft lip and palate was more common (387) than isolated cleft palate (294) and isolated cleft lip (122). Boys predominated in cleft lip and palate and cleft lip; whereas, girls predominated in isolated cleft palate, with boy to girl ratios of 1.6:1, 1.2:1, and 0.9:1 for cleft lip and/or palate, isolated cleft lip, and isolated cleft palate, respectively. The Riyadh region had more cases (32.0%) than the Asir (15.6%) and Eastern (14.6%) regions. Parents of 439 individuals had consanguineous marriages. A positive family history of cleft was seen in 224 cases. Of 238 cases with associated anomalies, 91 had congenital heart disease. Of the children with isolated cleft palate, 40.5% had associated anomalies, whereas only 23.0% of the children with isolated cleft lip or cleft lip and palate had associated malformations. Conclusion: The pattern of cleft observed in this study does not differ significantly from those reported in the literature for Arab populations.

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Facial Expression in Primates With Remarks On a Parallel Development in Certain Carnivores (a Preliminary Report On Work in Progress)

Behaviour ◽

10.1163/156853964x00012 ◽

1964 ◽

Vol 22 (3-4) ◽

pp. 167-192 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Niels Bolwig

Keyword(s):

Facial Expression ◽

Facial Expressions ◽

Preliminary Report ◽

Common Ancestry ◽

Upper Lip ◽

Common Pattern ◽

Facial Muscles ◽

Facial Musculature ◽

The Face ◽

Emotional Condition

AbstractIn this report of an unfinished study of the evolution of facial expressions the author draws a brief comparison between the most important facial muscles of various primates and of two carnivores, the suricate and the dog. Before discussing the expressions, definitions of the various elementary emotions are given and the criteria from which the author judges the emotional condition of the animals. The main conclusions reached from the observations are:- 1. Certain basic rules govern the facial expressions of the animals studied. 2. Joy and happiness are expressed by a general lifting of the face and a tightening of the upper lip. The expression originates from preparation for a play-bite. The posture has become completely ritualised in man. 3. Unhappiness expresses itself by a lowering of the face. In horror there is a general tension of the facial muscles and the mouth tends to open while the animal screams. In sadness the animal tends to become less active. 4. Anger is recognisable from a tightening of the facial muscles, particularly those around the mouth in preparation for a hard bite. 5. Threat varies in expression but it contains components of anger and fear. 6. Love and affection find expression through such actions as lipsmacking, love-biting, sucking and kissing. The oral caressing has its origin in the juvenile sucking for comfort. 7. Concentration is not an emotion but it usually shows itself by a tension of the facial muscles. 8. There is a similarity between the two carnivores under discussion and some of the primates. A common pattern of the facial muscles of the suricate and the lemur indicate a common ancestry and brings the two animals to the same level in their ability to express their emotions. The dog, although very different from the monkey in its facial musculature nevertheless resembles it in its mode of expression. This feature seems related to similarities in their biology which have been facilitated by the development of a bifocal vision.

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