RESUMO
Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are considered the primary cause of mortality in Saudi Arabia and it is one of the major health concerns in the country. Depression can complicate, halt or even exacerbate the process of managing CVDs, making it harder to optimize the patient's condition. The main aim of this study is to assess the depression in cardiac patients. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 257 patients diagnosed with cardiovascular diseases. The study was conducted in two governmental hospitals in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, from December 2021 to April 2022. Depression was assessed using the Arabic version of the CESD-R questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the participants was 44.49 ± 12.99 years. Majority of patients were in the age group of 40-49 years (n = 92, 35.8%). More than half (53.3%) of the samples were female. The prevalence of depression among cardiac patients was 53.3%. Conclusion: The prevalence of depression was high among cardiac patients. It is strongly advised that routine examination and management of depression in cardiac patients be included in their regimens.
RESUMO
Burns are serious injuries, resulting in high morbidity and healthcare costs. Effective first aid improves outcomes. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and practice of first aid for burn injuries among medical and non-medical students in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study (N = 408) was conducted, in which a questionnaire was administered assessing students' experience with burns, as well as their hypothetical responses to vignettes involving patients with burn injuries. Although most students reported having personal experience with burns, and had received some information regarding burn first aid, only about half were able to provide correct responses regarding first aid techniques, and medical students were no more accurate than non-medical students in their responses. Results suggest that members of the Saudi Arabian population may lack appropriate knowledge about burn first aid, and education and public information resources may help to remedy this problem.
