RESUMEN
Background It is crucial for women to have a good understanding of menopause from a young age, as this natural transition can have significant effects on their lives. Having this knowledge can help them handle the associated changes and improve their overall well-being. This study aimed to assess the level of awareness, attitude, and misconceptions regarding hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and menopause among women residing in the Taif region. Methodology This was a cross-sectional study conducted on the general population in Taif, Saudi Arabia, using an online self-administered questionnaire through Google Forms (Google Inc., Mountain View, CA, USA) from July 2022 to December 2022. The study included women aged between 40 and 65 years. A previously validated questionnaire was used for data collection, which assessed participants' awareness and knowledge of hormone replacement therapy in Taif. A 2-point system was used to grade each variable, where 2 points were given for a correct answer, 0 for an incorrect answer, and 1 for a neutral answer. Consistent with prior use of the questionnaire, participants who correctly answered 75% were considered to have good knowledge and understanding of HRT. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) (IBM SPSS Statistics, Armonk, NY, USA). Results A total of 383 participants were enrolled in this study. The mean age of the participants was 48 ± 6.2 years (ranging from 40 to 65 years). The mean knowledge score about hormone therapy during menopause was found to be 1.9 ± 2.4 (ranging from 0 to 9) out of 10. Of these participants, 63 (16.4%) were considered to have good knowledge, while 320 (83.6%) had poor knowledge. Additionally, 95 (24.8%) participants agreed to hormone replacement therapy during menopause, 136 (35.5%) believed that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, 74 (19.3%) believed that it decreased the risk of cardiovascular diseases, and 113 (29.5%) believed that it decreased the risk of osteoporosis. The study also found that employment status, previous knowledge about hormone replacement therapy, and current use of it were significantly associated with awareness about hormone replacement therapy (p-value = 0.025, <0.001, and 0.003, respectively), with employed participants, those who heard about it, and those who currently use it tending to have higher awareness level compared to others. Conclusion Our study found that there is a poor level of knowledge and awareness about menopause and hormone therapy among the participants. Employment status was found to be associated with the level of knowledge.
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BACKGROUND: Congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) or clubfoot is known as a deformity characterized by excessively turned-in feet and high medial longitudinal arches. It is one of the most common musculoskeletal abnormalities. It is estimated that approximately 20% of CTEV cases are caused by another congenital disease or syndromic condition. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge about CTEV among the general population in the Makkah region of the kingdom. Methods: This study was a community-based cross-sectional descriptive study carried on by an online questionnaire, previously validated in published studies, among residents in the Makkah region of Saudi Arabia who successfully fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: Out of the total number of respondents (n=1,987), gender was found to be significantly associated with awareness about CTEV (p-value=0.007) as females tend to have higher awareness levels than males. Having a child with CTEV was found to be significantly associated with awareness level (p-valueË0.001). In addition, university and secondary levels of education are more aware of CTEV than other levels of education (p-value=0.023). CONCLUSION: According to the results, the lack of awareness campaigns may contribute to the low public awareness of CTEV. It is recommended that social media platforms and public campaigns be utilized to increase awareness of CTEV in key locations such as malls. These initiatives may motivate people to seek treatment for their disease as early as possible. In addition, early management of CTEV is less invasive and leads to better patient outcomes when followed up regularly.