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INTRODUCTION: Cancer-related stigmatization is a noteworthy phenomenon, yet it has not received sufficient attention in public health studies. Despite recent advancements in treatment and improvements in survival, the burden of stigma remains a challenging concern for individuals diagnosed with cancer. AIM: This study aims to assess the presence of cancer stigma in the Saudi Arabian population by using the Cancer Stigma Scale (CASS). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population of Saudi Arabia. Data collection was facilitated through a self-administered online questionnaire, incorporating socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, and regional residence and employing the CASS instrument to gauge the prevalent attitudes and stigmas related to cancer. RESULTS: Out of the 874 participants, a majority of 87.1% were female, with 60.2% aged between 20 and 39 years. Notably, 59% reported having a close friend or family member diagnosed with cancer. The average CASS score stood at 1.59 (SD 0.39) on a 5-point scale, with an overwhelming 97.1% registering scores under 2.5, suggesting a generally low stigma perception. In dissecting the CASS components, 'severity' recorded the highest mean score (mean: 2.23), followed by 'awkwardness' (mean: 1.86) and 'financial discrimination' (mean: 1.71). 'avoidance' registered the lowest mean score at 1.11. Notably, a trend of increasing stigma was observed with advancing age, and male respondents indicated a marginally higher propensity towards stigmatizing attitudes. CONCLUSION: In Saudi Arabia, cancer-related stigma is generally low. However, 'severity' is the most prominent stigma aspect, with 'avoidance' being the least. Older individuals and males exhibit slightly higher stigmatizing attitudes. These insights highlight the need for targeted public health efforts to address remaining stigmatization, especially based on age and gender.
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Introduction Cancer is a group of diseases with uncontrollable growth of abnormal cells. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common cancers. Increased intake of animal-source foods, sedentary lifestyle, decreased physical activity, and increased prevalence of excess body weight are independently associated with CRC risk. Additional risk factors include heavy alcohol consumption, cigarette smoking, and consumption of red or processed meat. Ultra-processed food (UPF) is made utilizing multiple components and a number of procedures. Soft drinks and salty or sugary snacks typically contain a lot of added sugar, fats, and processed carbohydrates, which negatively affect the balance of the gut bacteria, nutrients, and bioactive substances that are necessary for the prevention of CRC. The aim of this study is to assess the awareness of the general population in Saudi Arabia toward the relationship between UPF and CRC. Methods A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted in Saudi Arabia between June and December, 2022. Result The study involved 802 participants, of which 84% consumed UPF and 71% were aware of the link between UPF and CRC. Only 18.3% were familiar with the particular type of UPF and only 29.4% knew how to prepare them. The prevalence of participants who were aware of the link between UPF and CRC was significantly more among the older age groups, people living in the Eastern Region, and those who knew how to manufacture UPF, while the prevalence of awareness was significantly less among those who regularly consumed UPF. Conclusion The study showed that a significant portion of subjects regularly ate UPF, and only a few were aware of its link to CRC. This highlights the need for greater awareness of the fundamentals of UPF and its impact on health. Governmental organizations should develop a strategy to raise public awareness of excessive UPF use.
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Background Digital eye strain (DES) or computer vision syndrome (CVS) manifests as eye fatigue caused by prolonged exposure to screens and exaggerated by some attitudes. Online education plays a crucial role in helping schools, instructors, and universities ensure the continuity of the education process during the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a lack of attention given to the effects of online teaching on teachers' eyes health during the pandemic and is nearly nonexistent. Hence, we aim to evaluate this among teachers in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Methodology A cross-sectional electronic self-administered questionnaire was distributed through social media applications among teachers in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia. The survey contained three main parts: biographical data, educational status, and eye health scale before and during the pandemic. All statistical analysis was done using IBM SPSS version 22 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results A total sample of 301 teachers was identified with ages ranging from 22 to 60 years, the majority were female (75.4%). Twenty-four point nine percent (24.9%) of the sample have a chronic disease, and 17.3% had previous LASIK surgery. Twenty-four point nine percent (24.9%) spent two to five hours teaching before the pandemic versus 60.8% with online education during the pandemic spent two to five hours daily. Fifty-two point eight percent (52.8%) of the teachers kept the distance between them and the digital screen at less than 50 cm. Eighty-one point four percent (81.4%) of teachers reported severe to moderate effects of online teaching using a computer/tablet/phone on their eye health. Fifty-two point two percent (52.2%) reported headache. Conclusion There is an obvious negative effect reflected by subjects' symptomatology and complaints in their eyes. This should prompt health authorities to provide better teaching equipment and accessibility to essential eye care to teachers.
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Globally, it is known that smoking can cause a variety of diseases. Studies have shown that smoking not only causes heart and lung diseases but is also strongly related to ocular diseases which could lead to blindness. This study aims to assess the level of awareness of blindness related to smoking in young people in Saudi Arabia. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study conducted among the young population in Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed using an online platform that includes socio-demographic data, education level, smoking status, and knowledge of the harmful effect of smoking like lung and cardiac diseases, including blindness. The data were analyzed using Statistical Packages for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). A total of 655 young individuals responded to the survey. Among our subjects, the prevalence of smoking participants was (18.7%) more common among the age group 21-25 years, males, bachelor, or higher degrees and those living in the Central region (p<0.001). Participants were definitely or probably more aware that the most common condition associated with excessive smoking was lung cancer (99.5%), followed by heart disease (98.1%) and stroke (93%) while the least of them was melanoma (91.3%) and blindness (81%). This is the first study in Saudi Arabia to assess the level of awareness of the risks of blindness related to smoking in young people and disclosed limited knowledge of the effect of smoking on their vision. The effects of smoking on lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, and even melanoma received higher ratings than blindness. Smokers may be able to quit smoking and enhance their quality of life by better understanding the link between smoking and blindness, which suggests that appropriate action is required to enhance their awareness.