Factors Associated with Lifestyle Behaviors among University Students-A Cross-Sectional Study.

Lifestyle behaviors are daily habits influenced by social and environmental factors. This study examined lifestyle behaviors and their associations with sociodemographics, comorbidities, and pain in Saudi university students during the academic year 2021 and 2022. All students received the study invitation via university emails to complete an online questionnaire. The questionnaire included four sections (sociodemographics, health-related information, desired health promotion activities, and a lifestyle behavior assessment) via Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II). The associations between study variables were assessed using Pearson's correlation and multiple linear regression. The study questionnaire was completed by 1112 students. No correlation was found between sociodemographics and lifestyle-behavior-related factors except for students in the College of Science who appeared to have good lifestyle behaviors (an increase in HPLP II total scores of 3.69). Students with mental health issues have poorer lifestyle behaviors and spend more time sitting (p < 0.00). Students without disabilities have lower scores in health responsibility, physical activity, nutrition, and stress management, while auditory disability specifically lowers health responsibility (p < 0.00). Pain was not associated with any assessed lifestyle behaviors. This study identified several significant correlations and differences between variables such as age, sedentary behavior, sleep duration, disability status, college major, and lifestyle behaviors among PNU students. These findings provide insights into the factors that influence students' health-promoting behaviors and can help guide interventions for promoting healthier lifestyles on campus. Targeted health promotion strategies at an early age could help in decreasing overall noncommunicable disease incidents later in life. The study results should be interpreted taking into consideration that the collected data were cross-sectional and self-reported. In conclusion, the findings of this study clearly demonstrate the need for specific lifestyle and health-promoting programs that are directed toward university students.

Perception of Healthcare Providers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Mixed Method Survey in an Integrated Healthcare Delivery System in Saudi Arabia.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine was broadly adopted for patient care. Considering this experience, it is crucial to understand the perceptions of teleclinic healthcare professionals. In Saudi Arabia, telemedicine literature was restricted to physicians working in government and private hospitals. This study examined perceptions in relation to telemedicine among physicians and other healthcare professionals practicing in Saudi Arabian military hospitals in the Taif region. During COVID-19, telemedicine was implemented in military hospitals; consequently, this study assists in evaluating introduced practices and the perceptions of health professionals regarding these new practices. A quantitative, descriptive, correlational, and cross-sectional study was undertaken on healthcare professionals (N = 153). Twenty (20) items based on standardized measures were used to collect data using an online questionnaire. The measures contained three subscales: perceived usefulness, perceived ease, and behavioral intention. It was hypothesized that the perception of teleclinic usefulness and ease score by healthcare providers would be significantly correlated with behavioral intention. Descriptive statistics for mean, frequency, and standard deviation, as well as a Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis, were conducted to assess the relationship and predictive association between variables. In addition, a focus group discussion was organized to collect information directly from healthcare professionals. Most of the participants were approximately 40 years of age, Saudi Nationals (63%), medical specialists (62%), and were involved in teleclinic practices before the COVID-19 pandemic (60%). The reliability of all three scales was determined to be acceptable (α = 0.75-0.91). Perceived usefulness and perceived ease were shown to be significantly correlated with behavioral intention (r = 0.877, p = 0.05). In addition, the regression analysis indicated that perceived usefulness and perceived ease are predictors of the behavioral intention (R2 = 0.777, F (2,152) = 261.76, p = 0.001) of teleclinic practices among healthcare professionals. The positive perception of telemedicine integration in healthcare systems revealed by this study is a major catalyst for continuous adoption. On the other hand, certified telemedicine platforms, on-the-job training, Internet of things, and a flexible approach are required to find opportunities and enhancements in telemedicine interactions.

Vitamin D levels, prediabetes risk and hemoglobin A1c levels in young non-diabetic Saudi women.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D levels are negatively correlated with prediabetes risk and hemoglobin A1c levels in individuals with prediabetes. The data are, however, scarce and inconsistent among different populations. We aimed to assess the association of vitamin D with prediabetes risk and hemoglobin A1c levels in young Saudi women with normoglycemia and prediabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed the data of individuals without diabetes (without diabetes history and hemoglobin A1c <6.4%) from the Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University's non-communicable diseases student registry. Demographic data, anthropometric and blood pressure measurements, and hemoglobin A1c and vitamin D results were retrieved and analyzed. RESULTS: In total, 345 participants were included in the analysis. The prediabetes status showed no association with vitamin D levels, but it was significantly associated with the participants' weight and body mass index. Additionally, there was no correlation between the levels of vitamin D and hemoglobin A1c across the whole population, even after correction for body mass index. However, in the body mass index subgroups, when individuals with potentially harmful levels of vitamin D (>125 nmol/L) were excluded, a positive association was detected between vitamin D and hemoglobin A1c levels in the underweight individuals. Hemoglobin A1c values showed a positive correlation only with bodyweight and body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D levels did not predict prediabetes status and showed no correlation with hemoglobin A1c levels in this population. Vitamin D levels' effect on the risk of prediabetes might be small compared with other well-established risk factors, such as obesity.