Impact of health education on knowledge and attitudes of Saudi paramedical students toward HIV/AIDS.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of health education on the knowledge and attitudes of paramedical students in Saudi Arabia toward HIV/AIDS. METHODS: We carried out an interventional study on a sample selected from students of health institutes and health colleges in Saudi Arabia during the calendar year 2002-2003. RESULTS: The intervention shows a positive effect on students' knowledge regarding means of transmission of HIV and means of protection from HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, it has a positive impact on students' attitudes toward accepting discussion of AIDS topics with others, acceptance of home care for HIV infected family member and acceptance of HIV-infected individual's right at work. Preference of confidentiality was also significantly increased after intervention. CONCLUSION: Health education intervention has a positive impact on students' knowledge and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS and we recommend a nationwide health education program on HIV/AIDS.

Rift Valley fever epidemic in Saudi Arabia: epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics.

This cohort descriptive study summarizes the epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory characteristics of the Rift Valley fever (RVF) epidemic that occurred in Saudi Arabia from 26 August 2000 through 22 September 2001. A total of 886 cases were reported. Of 834 reported cases for which laboratory results were available, 81.9% were laboratory confirmed, of which 51.1% were positive for only RVF immunoglobulin M, 35.7% were positive for only RVF antigen, and 13.2% were positive for both. The mean age (+/- standard deviation) was 46.9+/-19.4 years, and the ratio of male to female patients was 4:1. Clinical and laboratory features included fever (92.6% of patients), nausea (59.4%), vomiting (52.6%), abdominal pain (38.0%), diarrhea (22.1%), jaundice (18.1%), neurological manifestations (17.1%), hemorrhagic manifestations (7.1%), vision loss or scotomas (1.5%), elevated liver enzyme levels (98%), elevated lactate dehydrogenase level (60.2%), thrombocytopenia (38.4%), leukopenia (39.7%), renal impairment or failure (27.8%), elevated creatine kinase level (27.3%), and severe anemia (15.1%). The mortality rate was 13.9%. Bleeding, neurological manifestations, and jaundice were independently associated with a high mortality rate. Patients with leukopenia had significantly a lower mortality rate than did those with a normal or high leukocyte count (2.3% vs. 27.9%; odds ratio, 0.09; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.63).

Epidemiology of the human immunodeficiency virus in Saudi Arabia; 18-year surveillance results and prevention from an Islamic perspective.

BACKGROUND: data on HIV epidemiology and preventive measures in Islamic countries is limited. This study describes the results of 18-year of HIV surveillance in Saudi Arabia (SA) and the preventive measures implemented from an Islamic perspective. METHODS: surveillance for HIV has been underway in SA since 1984. Indications for HIV testing include clinical suspicion, screening of contacts of HIV-infected patients, and routine screening of blood and organ donors, prisoners, intravenous drug users, patients with other sexually transmitted infections, and expatriates pre-employment. This is a case series descriptive study of all confirmed HIV infections diagnosed in SA from 1984 through 2001. RESULTS: a total of 6046 HIV infections were diagnosed, of which 1285 (21.3%) cases were Saudi citizens. Over the 18-year surveillance period the number of HIV infections diagnosed annually among Saudi citizens gradually increased and, over the period 1997-2001, it reached to 84 to 142 cases per year. The number of cases per 100,000 population varied widely between regions with a maximum of 74 cases and a minimum of 2 cases. The infection was most common in the age group 20-40 years (74.6%) and predominantly affected men (71.6%). The modes of transmission among Saudi citizens and expatriates, respectively, were as follows: heterosexual contact, 487 (37.9%) and 1352 (28.4%) cases; blood transfusion, 322 (25.0%) and 186 (3.9%) cases; perinatal transmission, 83 (6.5%) and 19 (0.4%) cases; homosexual contact, 32 (2.5%) and 38 (0.8%) cases; intravenous drug use, 17 (1.3%) and 33 (0.7%) cases; bisexual contact, 10 (0.8%) and 14 (0.3%) cases; unknown, 334 (26.0%) and 3119 (65.5%) cases. The number of HIV infections transmitted by blood or blood products transfusion declined to zero by year 2001 and all such infections occurred due to transfusions administered before 1986. At HIV diagnosis, 4502/6046 (74.5%) patients had no symptoms, 787 (13.0%) patients had non-AIDS defining manifestations, and 757 (12.5%) patients had AIDS. A total of 514/1285 (40%) Saudi patients died by year 2001. CONCLUSIONS: the number of HIV cases in SA is limited with heterosexual contact being the main mode of transmission. From an Islamic perspective, preventive strategies include prevention of non-marital sex and intravenous drug use with encouragement of "safe sex" through legal marriage.

Knowledge and attitudes of paramedical students in Saudi Arabia toward HIV/AIDS.

OBJECTIVES: The present study aimed to build a baseline profile for knowledge and attitudes of Saudi paramedical students toward human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). METHODS: The study was a cross-sectional one conducted on a sample selected from health institutes and colleges in Saudi Arabia during the calendar year 2002/2003. RESULTS: A high percentage of students correctly perceive the risk presented by HIV/AIDS. Extramarital sex and unprotected sex were the most frequently mentioned risky behaviors. Misconceptions and lack of knowledge regarding transmission of HIV/AIDS were reported. Lack of knowledge on the means of individual protection, means of protection of infants of HIV/AIDS-infected mothers and means of protection of HIV/AIDS-infected individual's wife was observed. While friends were the main source of information among male students, booklets were the main source of information among females. More than two-thirds of students were willing to be tested for HIV. We observed negative attitudes toward discussing AIDS topics with others, home-care for HIV/AIDS individuals and HIV/AIDS-infected individual's right at work. CONCLUSION: We found lack of knowledge regarding HIV/AIDS transmission and means for prevention in addition to unfavorable attitudes towards HIV/AIDS individuals. We recommend an evaluation of HIV/AIDS information in the curricula of health institutes and health colleges in addition to conduction of a nationwide health education campaign on HIV/AIDS.