scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 on Taste and Smell Sensation among Population in Western Region of Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
pp. 303-311
Author(s):  
Lotfi Issa ◽  
Feras Alotaibi ◽  
Abdulrahman Almalki ◽  
Abdulelah Albaradi ◽  
Hamad Alawi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Study Design ◽  
Saudi Arabian ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Western Region ◽  
Taste Sensation ◽  
Medical Conditions ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Taste And Smell

Background: COVID-19 is pandemic disease caused by (SARS-CoV-2) first discovered in China in December 2019. It affects smell and taste sensation among large proportion of patients with COVID-19. The aims of this study is to asses impact of COVID-19 on smell and taste sensation among COVID-19 patients in western region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: The study design was descriptive cross sectional and our sample was be is 500 patients with COVID-19. The data was collected by using structured questionnaire which was distributed electronically and contain (sociodemographic data, diagnosed with COVID-19, status of smell and taste sensation…). The data was analyzed using SPSS program version 22. Results: We were able to collect 404 responses to our questionnaire with response rate of 80.8 %. The mean age of total sample was 32.1 years with standard deviation of 14.34 years and 56.1 % of participants were females. Prevalence of weak or loss of smell or taste after infection with the emerging corona virus was 74.4%. Moreover, we found that patients who had weak or loss of smell or taste because of COVID-19 were older than those whose sense did not be affected. Moreover, non- Saudi Arabian were more affected by losing of smell and taste with significant difference (P=0.026). Considering medical conditions of patients, we found that patients with any medical conditions were associated with significantly higher incidence of losing smell and taste. Conclusion: The prevalence of losing smell and taste among patients with COVID-19 in our sample were high and was higher in older patients, male, Saudi arabian and those with other medical conditions. More investigations should be conducted to assess the same variables using retrospective study design.

scholarly journals Evaluation of e-health (Seha) application: a cross-sectional study in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abeer Alharbi ◽  
Joharah Alzuwaed ◽  
Hind Qasem
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Health Services ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Advanced Technology ◽  
Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Technical Problems ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Ease Of Access

Abstract Background The Ministry of Health in Saudi Arabia is expanding the country’s telemedicine services by using advanced technology in health services. In doing so, an e-health application (app), Seha, was introduced in 2018 that allows individuals to have face-to-face visual medical consultations with their doctors on their smartphones. Objective This study evaluated the effectiveness of the app in improving healthcare delivery by ensuring patient satisfaction with the care given, increasing access to care, and improving efficiency in the healthcare system. Methods A cross-sectional study design was used to assess the perceptions of users of the Seha app and non-users who continued with traditional health services. The data were collected using an online survey via Google Forms between June 2020 and September 2020. Independent t tests and chi-square (χ2) tests were conducted to answer the research questions. Results There was a significant difference between users and non-users in terms of ease of access to health services (t =  − 9.38, p < 0.05), with app users having a higher mean score (4.19 ± 0.91) than non-users (3.41 ± 1.00); satisfaction with health services (t =  − 6.33, p < 0.05), with users having a higher mean score (3.96 ± 0.91) than non-users (3.45 ± 0.94); and efficiency (only one visit needed for treatment) (t =  − 3.20, p < 0.05), with users having a higher mean score (3.71 ± 0.93) than non-users (3.45 ± 0.93). There were significant associations between the use of the Seha app and age (χ2 = 8.79, p < 0.05), gender (χ2 = 22.19, p < 0.05), region (χ2 = 19.74, p < 0.05), and occupation (χ2 = 22.05, p < 0.05). There were significant relationships between the three items (on access, satisfaction, and efficiency) and experiencing technical issues (t = 4.47, t = 8.11, and t = 3.24, respectively, p < 0.05), with users who faced technical problems having significantly lower mean scores for all three items. Conclusion This study provided evidence that the Seha app improved the delivery of healthcare in Saudi Arabia. Users of the app had a better health experience in terms of their perceived ease of access to healthcare services; their satisfaction with healthcare services; and the efficiency of the system, measured by the number of required doctor visits. Other factors that appeared to influence the use of the app included age, gender, usual source of care, and technical difficulties.

scholarly journals Prevalence of thinness, overweight and obesity among Tibetan adolescents aged 12-17 years

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Yunfei Zhang ◽  
Jiahong Sun ◽  
Min Zhao ◽  
Costan G. Magnussen ◽  
Xi Bo
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Method ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Overweight And Obesity ◽  
Cluster Sampling ◽  
Cross Sectional Survey ◽  
Clear Trend ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Prevalence Of Obesity ◽  
Study Participants

Abstract Objective: To estimate the prevalence of thinness, overweight and obesity among Tibetan adolescents aged 12-17 years. Design: Cross-sectional survey. Setting: Shigatse city of Tibet municipality, with an average altitude of more than 4000 m. Subjects: Study participants included 2,642 adolescents aged 12-17 years selected from 6 schools using a convenient cluster sampling method. Results: The prevalence of thinness/overweight/obesity among Tibetan adolescents was 9.4%/5.4%/1.4% (China definition), 14.7%/4.4%/0.7% (IOTF definition), and 2.8%/5.7%/0.9% (WHO definition). The prevalence of thinness and overweight was significantly different between both sexes based on each of three BMI classification criteria (P <0.001). There was no significant difference in the prevalence of obesity between both sexes according to each of three BMI criteria. There was no clear trend in the prevalence of thinness across ages according to the China or IOTF definition (both P >0.05), whereas an upward trend was observed for thinness in boys according to the IOTF definition (P for trend <0.05). In contrast, the prevalence of thinness tended to decrease with increasing age in girls according to the IOTF definition, and in total sample according to the WHO definition (P for trend <0.05). Conclusions: Among Tibetan adolescents, the prevalence of overweight and obesity is relatively low, while the prevalence of thinness is high, especially in boys. These data suggest urgent attention is needed to control adolescent thinness in Tibet.

scholarly journals Differences in phosphatemia and frequency of consumption of dietary sources of phosphorus in hemodialysis patients in southern and northern Brazil

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 83-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabiana Baggio Nerbass ◽  
Edcléia Regina Canzi ◽  
Renata dos Anjos Araujo ◽  
Dyane Corrêa ◽  
Rafaela Gonzaga dos Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Total Sample ◽  
Inorganic Phosphorus ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
The State ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Phosphorus Sources ◽  
Northern Brazil ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Pork Sausages

Abstract Introduction: Hyperphosphatemia is associated with unfavorable outcomes, and the percentage of patients presenting with this condition in hemodialysis (HD) in kidney foundation units in the state of Santa Catarina (SC) is historically higher than that of patients in the state of Tocantins (TO). Objective: To assess the frequency of consumption of the main dietary sources of phosphorus and to compare them between the two states. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 123 patients, 66 of SC and 57 of TO: 52% were men, average age was 46.9 ± 15.7 years, and mean HD time 48 (57-71) months. A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) with 33 items that are dietary sources of phosphorus was applied. A consumption score was calculated for sources of organic, inorganic, and total phosphorus, and the six-month average of phosphatemia was obtained. Results: The mean phosphatemia of SC patients was higher (6.2 ± 1.5 vs 4.7 ± 1.3 mg/dL, p <0001) than TO patients, as well as the prevalence of hyperphosphatemia (62% vs 28%; p <10001). In the total sample, the foods most frequently consumed were milk and beans. Comparing the frequency of consumption between the two states, a significant difference was found in 17 items. In TO, beef and beans were the foods most frequently consumed, and in SC, fourteen other items of the FFQ (pork, sausages, dairy products, etc.) were the most frequently consumed. Phosphatemia correlated with the frequency of consumption of inorganic phosphorus sources. Conclusion: the frequency of consumption of several items was different between the states, and this explains the differences in phosphatemia between the two regions.

scholarly journals Difference in height of maxillary alveolar ridge on edentulous women and dentate women using panoramic radiography

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 1243-1248
Author(s):  
Cek Dara Manja ◽  
Dennis
Keyword(s):  
Panoramic Radiography ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Mechanical Stimulus ◽  
Average Height ◽  
Alveolar Ridge ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Average Value ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Right

The height of the maxillary alveolar ridge can be measured using panoramic radiography. The decline occurred because the height of the alveolar ridge undergoes slow physiological resorption due to the absence of mechanical stimulus. The purpose of this research is to know the difference and the average height of the maxillary alveolar ridge in edentulous and dentate women using panoramic radiography. This study is an analytical method with a cross-sectional approach. A total sample of 40 women, edentulous and dentate has been measured. Measurements were made by measuring the distance between the lowest point of the infraorbital ridge and alveolar crest maxilla on the incisor point, right and left premolar, right and left molar. A statistical test is done using independent t-test. The results showed that the average value of a dentate women sample is greater than edentulous. The average value obtained by the dentate sample is greatest in incisor point by 37,57mm± 3,34mm and the smallest at the right molar point by 33,87mm ± 2,81mm. The average value obtained by the edentulous sample is greatest in incisor point by 35,30mm ± 2,79mm and the smallest at the right molar point by 31,84mm ± 3,85mm. It can be concluded that there is a significant difference in the height of the maxillary alveolar ridge on an edentulous sample and dentate, except the right molar teeth. The average height of the maxillary alveolar ridge in an edentulous sample is 33,35mm ± 3,43mm, and the dentate sample is 35,66mm ± 3,21mm.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Residents’ Clinical Training and Psychosocial Well-Being in Saudi Arabia’s Western Region

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Reem Alshareef ◽  
Abdullah Al Zahrani ◽  
Meshari Alzhrani ◽  
Abdulaziz Suwaidi ◽  
Bander Alamry
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Medical Staff ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Western Region ◽  
Psychological Well Being ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Western Region ◽  
Distress Scale ◽  
Junior Residents

Abstract Background: The novel COVID-19 pandemic has imposed a significant burden on healthcare systems. Similarly, it has also affected the performance and well-being of the medical staff working during the pandemic. However, to what extent COVID-19 is affecting medical staff is still unclear, especially among physicians.Objective: This study aims to evaluate the negative effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the medical training and psychological well-being of resident doctors practicing in the western region in Saudi Arabia.Patients and Methods: This is a quantitative cross-sectional study that included a survey distributed to residents physicians working in the western region in Saudi Arabia. The survey included questions on demographic data and factors influencing the academic training, attitude, and daily habits of the residents during the pandemic. Psychological impact was assessed using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale. Data analysis was executed using IBM SPSS version 26. Results: A total of 121 residents responded to this survey. Of all respondents, 71.1% were junior residents, 66.9% had a medical specialty; and 33% were family medicine doctors, followed by 17% from general surgery. In regards to work amid the pandemic, 36.1% were in contact with confirmed COVID-19 patients, and 35.5% had to work overtime during the pandemic. Of the respondents, 44% described their training as extremely affected, and 32% strongly agreed and 53% agreed that their psychological well-being was negatively affected. Further, 39.6% were smoking more than they used to. Female and junior residents’ training was significantly more negatively affected than their peers’ (p=0.039 and 0.011, respectively). There was a non-significant difference detected between the residents regarding the factors negatively affecting their psychological well-being. Conclusion: Residents working during the pandemic in the western area of Saudi Arabia were significantly affected by the pandemic from both professional and psychological perspectives. Further research on how the pandemic is affecting doctors in other areas in Saudi Arabia is needed.

scholarly journals Knowledge, Attitudes and Practice of Dental Implants among Dental Interns in Saudi Arabia – A Cross-Sectional Study

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 440-449
Author(s):  
Khaled Alzahrani ◽  
Abdulrahman Mohammed Alnafisah ◽  
Khalid Gohormallah Alzahrani ◽  
Khalid Ghalib Alharbi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Dental Implants ◽  
Clinical Skills ◽  
Sampling Technique ◽  
Practical Experience ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Chi Square ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Males And Females

Objective: The aim of the study is to assess knowledge, attitude and practices of dental implants among dental interns in Saudi Arabia Materials and Methods: A self-designed, close-ended questionnaire was distributed among 205 interns chosen by stratified random sampling technique. The questionnaire consisted of 28 items pertaining to demographic characteristics, knowledge and practices of dental implants. Responses were coded and entered into spreadsheet software (Microsoft Excel 16.0.) and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS, IBM Version 22.0) and contingency tables and chi-square test (χ2). Results: The majority of the participants were males (64.4%), between 24-26 years of age (64%) and had a GPA between 4-5 (63.4%). The majority of the participants gained knowledge of dental implants through theoretical lectures (98.5%), and most of them (80%) knew, what material, an implant was made up of. Almost all participants (91.7%) knew that dental implants had surface modifications. Most (64.4%) believed that case selection is the most important criteria for the success of dental implant therapy, and this differed significantly among participants with respect to GPA (p=0.03). Many participants (60%) believed that the most important advantage of dental implants over fixed prosthesis is that reduction of adjacent tooth is not needed, and this differed significantly between males and females (p=0.026). There was a significant difference (p<0.001) between males and females when it came to confidence in independently restoring teeth using dental implants. 63% of the participants were confident to use dental implants in their future practice. Conclusion: Knowledge of dental implants among dental interns is satisfactory, but this study reveals that participants lack practical experience and would like to acquire more clinical skills. Limitations: The response rate of participants from each university was low, which made comparisons between different universities difficult because sample size from some universities was very small, which could not produce statistically accurate results.

scholarly journals Impact of Covid-19 on asthmatic patients in Western region in Saudi Arabia

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulrhman Nasser Zaher AlGhamdi ◽  
Amal Mohammed Albaqami ◽  
Areej Mohammed Abdullah ◽  
Doha Abdulrahmman Alsukhayri ◽  
Hamad Albulrahman Alawi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Data Entry ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Western Region ◽  
Poor Control ◽  
Key Words Asthma ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Icu Admission ◽  
Asthmatic Patients ◽  
The Impact

Background: Respiratory symptoms are a characteristic feature present in covid-19 patients, and they usually range from mild to severe. Asthma is a chronic disease involving the airways that carry air in and out of the lungs. However, there is limited resources that discuss the relation between asthma and prevalence of COVID-19. Aims: Identify the impact of covid19 on asthmatic patients. Methodology: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted to study the impact of COVID-19 on asthmatic patients, which was conducted using a prepared questionnaire which was distributed online among 300 patients with asthma. After collecting the data, MS Excel was used for data entry while SPSS version 24 was used for data analysis. Results: In this study, we were able to collect data from 311 asthmatic patients in response to our questionnaire. Most of the asthmatic patients were females (67.2%) with a ratio of females: males of 2:1. Moreover, most patients thought that they control their asthma well and only 13.5 % indicated that they had frequent emergency visits because of asthma. The prevalence of COVID-19 in asthmatic patients was 64.3 % where a third of patients needed to go to hospital because of their bad condition, 12.6 % needed to be hospitalized in ICU and 56.4 % needed oxygen. Moreover, severity of COVID-19 symptoms and outcomes are related to the control of asthma where better control of asthma was associated with better outcomes including lower need for ICU admission and oxygen need. Conclusion: Prevalence of COVID-19 in asthmatic patients was much higher than the general population especially in female patients aged between 31-40 years old. Moreover, COVID-19 had more severe outcomes in asthmatic patients including higher prevalence of ICU admission and oxygen need. Poorer outcomes of COVID-19 were associated with poor control of asthma. Key words: Asthma, Covid-19, Western Region, Saudi Arabia

scholarly journals Prevalence and profile of daily smokers seen at three primary health care units in Pelotas, southern Brazil

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 154-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariane Ricardo Acosta Lopez ◽  
Karen Jansen ◽  
Luciano Dias de Mattos Souza ◽  
Ricardo Tavares Pinheiro ◽  
Elaine Tomasi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Tobacco Consumption ◽  
University Hospital ◽  
Daily Smoking ◽  
Southern Brazil ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Significant Difference

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of daily smoking among users of three primary health care units affiliated with a university hospital in the municipality of Pelotas, southern Brazil, and to identify factors associated with daily tobacco consumption. Methods: This cross-sectional study included all individuals over 14 years of age who sought treatment at the health care units between June 29, 2009, and February 23, 2010, and lived in the area covered by the unit. Interviews were conducted during home visits to collect data on sociodemographic characteristics and health behaviors; the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) was used to assess the presence of mood disorders; and a question from the Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) on the daily use of tobacco in the past 3 months was used to assess smoking. Results: The total sample comprised 1,848 individuals, mostly female (72.9%), aged between 46 and 60 years (28.5%), and belonging to socioeconomic class C (61%). The prevalence of daily smoking was 23.4% (n = 432), and there was a statistically significant difference between men and women: 27 vs. 22.1% (p < 0.050). Conclusion: Our findings confirm a high prevalence of smoking among users of primary health care units, underscoring the need for a more accurate process of diagnosis and treatment at these facilities.

scholarly journals Head and neck cutaneous melanoma: 5-year survival analysis in a Serbian university center

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleksandar Višnjić ◽  
Predrag Kovačević ◽  
Asen Veličkov ◽  
Mariola Stojanović ◽  
Stefan Mladenović
Keyword(s):  
Survival Analysis ◽  
Head And Neck ◽  
Cutaneous Melanoma ◽  
Cox Regression ◽  
Total Sample ◽  
Advanced Stage ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Cox Regression Analysis ◽  
Significant Difference

Abstract Background Head and neck melanoma (HNM) is specific from the anatomical and etiopathogenetic aspects. In addition to morphopathological parameters, rich vascularization and lymphatic drainage of the head and neck affect the occurrence of lymphogenic and hematogenous metastases, as well as the metastases on both sides of the neck. Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study included cutaneous melanoma patients who underwent surgery at a clinical center over a 10-year period. The clinical follow-up was at least 60 months. The Kaplan-Meier method was used for the survival analysis. The predictor effect of certain independent variables on a given dichotomous dependent variable (survival) was measured by the Cox regression analysis. Results The analysis of demographic and clinical characteristics of 116 patients with HNM revealed that there was no statistically significant difference in age and gender in the total sample. Thirty-three (28.45%) patients were already in stage III or IV of the disease at the first examination, which affected the overall survival rate. The overall 5-year survival was 30.2%. No statistically significant difference in 5-year survival was found in relation to age and location. The period without melanoma progression decreased progressively in the advanced stage. Forty-nine patients (42%) underwent surgery for lymphogenic metastases in the parotid region and/or neck during the follow-up. Conclusions Patients with HNM included in this study frequently presented an advanced stage of the disease at the first examination, which is reflected in a low rate of 5-year survival. Early diagnosis and adequate primary treatment can ensure longer survival.

Hard, soft and off-the-shelf foot orthoses and their effect on the angle of the medial longitudinal arch: A biplane fluoroscopy study

2019 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 331-338 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan Balsdon ◽  
Colin Dombroski ◽  
Kristen Bushey ◽  
Thomas R Jenkyn
Keyword(s):  
Study Design ◽  
Foot Orthoses ◽  
Medial Longitudinal Arch ◽  
Level Of Evidence ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Longitudinal Arch ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Skeletal Kinematics ◽  
Dynamic Gait ◽  
Foot Orthosis

Background: Foot orthoses have proven to be effective for conservative management of various pathologies. Pathologies of the lower limb can be caused by abnormal biomechanics such as irregular foot structure and alignment, leading to inadequate support. Objectives: To compare biomechanical effects of different foot orthoses on the medial longitudinal arch during dynamic gait using skeletal kinematics. Study design: This study follows a prospective, cross-sectional study design. Methods: The medial longitudinal arch angle was measured for 12 participants among three groups: pes planus, pes cavus and normal arch. Five conditions were compared: three orthotic devices (hard custom foot orthosis, soft custom foot orthosis and off-the-shelf Barefoot Science©), barefoot and shod. An innovative method, markerless fluoroscopic radiostereometric analysis, was used to measure the medial longitudinal arch angle. Results: Mean medial longitudinal arch angles for both custom foot orthosis conditions were significantly different from the barefoot and shod conditions ( p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the off-the-shelf device and the barefoot or shod conditions ( p > 0.05). In addition, the differences between hard and soft custom foot orthoses were not statistically significant. All foot types showed a medial longitudinal arch angle decrease with both the hard and soft custom foot orthoses. Conclusion: These results suggest that custom foot orthoses can reduce motion of the medial longitudinal arch for a range of foot types during dynamic gait. Level of evidence: Therapeutic study, Level 2. Clinical relevance Custom foot orthoses support and alter the position of the foot during weightbearing. The goal is to eliminate compensation of the foot for a structural deformity or malalignment and redistribute abnormal plantar pressures. By optimizing the position of the foot, the medial longitudinal arch (MLA) will also change and quantifying this change is of interest to clinicians.

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