Prevalence of Hemorrhoids and the Associated Risk Factors Among the General Adult Population in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION: Hemorrhoidal disease is one of the most common benign anorectal conditions. It is described as the symptomatic enlargement and abnormally downward displacement of anal cushions. Its effect on the quality of life of patients is significantly negative and is considered one of the leading causes of lower gastrointestinal bleeding. However, studies that determine the prevalence of and risk factors associated with hemorrhoidal disease are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for hemorrhoids among the general adult population in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with a structured, prevalidated questionnaire and was used with some modifications. It was created using Google Forms (Google, Mountain View, CA) and distributed via social media platforms in Arabic along with the English version of each question. All data from the returned survey were encrypted. IBM SPSS Statistics, version 21 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: A total of 400 participants completed the study questionnaire. Regarding the prevalence of hemorrhoids among the general population in Makkah, 64 participants (16%) reported that they were diagnosed with hemorrhoid disorder. The most reported symptoms among participants with hemorrhoids were pain with defecation (76.2%), discomfort (63.5%), and swelling (55.6%). CONCLUSION: Hemorrhoids are one of the most common complaints among surgical patients and are more prevalent in men. The risk of hemorrhoids is significantly higher in married women with a history of pregnancy, who are overweight, and who consume low-fiber diets. It is better to practice close follow-up of patients with hemorrhoids to avoid complications, particularly, patients with chronic diseases who are at a high risk.

Awareness of Constipation and Its Complications Among the General Population of Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Constipation is a common gastrointestinal issue with significant economic implications. Its prevalence varies globally, and it can have acute or chronic forms with primary or secondary causes. The pathophysiology of constipation is influenced by various factors. While previous studies have reported varying levels of awareness of constipation and its complications in different regions of Saudi Arabia, no comprehensive research has assessed such awareness among the general population. This study, thus, aimed to assess awareness of constipation and its complications among the public in Saudi Arabia. METHODOLOGY: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Saudi Arabia on individuals aged 18 and above, excluding healthcare workers. Data were collected using a validated survey distributed online between September 2023 and November 2023. RESULTS: A total of 1,139 participants were included in the study, predominantly female 739 (64.9%), and most of the participants 595 (52.2%) aged between 19 and 30 years, The majority of participants 850 (74.6%) had bachelor's degree. Regarding the source of medical information, 312 (27.4%) of the participants stated that they obtained medical information from social media. Additionally, 811 (71.2%) of participants reported experiencing constipation. Overall, 847 (74.4%) of participants demonstrated a good level of awareness of constipation, while 292 (25.6%) had a poor level of awareness. Significant associations were found between awareness level and age, city of residence, and occupation. CONCLUSION: Most adults in Saudi Arabia have a high level of awareness of constipation and its complications.

Prevalence of Back and Neck Pain Among Surgeons Regardless of Their Specialties in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders are the second-most common complaint among surgeons. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of back and neck pain among Saudi surgeons of all specialties. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was used to collect data from 195 surgeons of different specialties in Saudi Arabia. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire to measure back pain, neck pain, and overall musculoskeletal pain (MSP). RESULTS: Surgeons have a high level of neck and back pain. The prevalence of back, neck, and shoulder pain among the studied surgeons was 68.2%, 56.9%, and 46.2%, respectively, while the overall prevalence of MSP was 87.2%. MSP was significantly (p <.05) higher among male surgeons, in those who experienced fatigue only on long days, and in those who reported that the cause of fatigue was laparoscopic procedures. CONCLUSION: Musculoskeletal symptoms are highly prevalent among surgeons in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, more studies should be conducted to assess and identify all the potential risk factors involved as well as ergonomic strategies to reduce the prevalence of MSP among surgeons, improve their quality of life, and avoid further complications.

Self-reported long COVID-19 symptoms are rare among vaccinated healthcare workers.

INTRODUCTION: COVID-19 pandemic adversely affected healthcare workers (HCWs). Here, we evaluate the occurence of long-COVID-19 symtoms among HCWs. METHODS: This is a questionnaire-based study of HCWs who had COVID-19 in two medical centers in Saudi Arabia and were mostly vaccinated. RESULTS: The study included 243 HCWs with a mean age (+ SD) of 36.1 (+ 7.6) years. Of them, 223 (91.8%) had three doses of COVID-19 vaccine, 12 (4.9%) had four doses, and 5 (2.1%) had two doses. The most common symptoms at the start of the illness were cough (180, 74.1%), shortness of breath (124, 51%), muscle ache (117, 48.1%), headache (113, 46.5%), sore throat (111, 45.7%), diarrhea (109, 44.9%) and loss of taste (108, 44.4%). Symptoms lasted for< one week in 117 (48.1%),> one week and< 1 month in 89 (36.6%),> 2 months and< 3 months in 9 (3.7%), and> 3 months in 15 (6.2%). The main symptoms present> 3 months were hair loss (8, 3.3%), cough (5, 2.1%), and diarrhea (5, 2.1%). A binomial regression analysis showed no relationship between persistence of symptoms for> 3 months and other demographic or clinical symptoms characteristics. CONCLUSION: The study showed a low rate of the occurence of long-COVID> 3 months during the Omicron-wave among mostly vaccinated HCWs with no significant comorbidities. Furhter studies are needed to examine the effect of different vaccines on long-COVID-19 among HCWs.

The Level of Awareness Among Surgical Physicians Regarding Surgical Site Infections and the Risks Associated With Wound Infections in Makkah.

Background and aims: Surgical site infections (SSIs) are a significant contributor to mortality rates globally; therefore, to avoid these lethal complications, it is critical to incorporate patient safety and high-quality treatment approaches. This study aims to assess surgical physicians' awareness of SSIs and risks of wound infections in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed among surgical physicians and interns in Makkah city hospitals through an online questionnaire from February 2023 to March 2023.  Results: 122 surgical physicians were enrolled in the study. The age of the majority of participants was between 20 and 30 (52.5%). According to the data, 55.7% of respondents had fair knowledge. Conclusion: Only 4.1% of physicians had a good level of knowledge. Thus, we recommend Makkah hospitals offer academic sessions to surgical physicians about preventive measures for high-quality care of SSIs in order to raise their levels of awareness and knowledge.