RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Personal anguish, incapacity, and a decline in work and life quality are all associated with neck and low back pain, making it a significant socioeconomic burden for individuals and society. It is well known that engaging in regular physical exercise has considerable health benefits. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this research was to investigate the factors contributing to the high rates of musculoskeletal pain experienced by the Saudi Arabian population. METHODS: This population-based, cross-sectional study was done in Saudi Arabia with 2,717 participants aged 18 to 60. A questionnaire was provided online to assess neck, shoulder, and lower back discomfort, time spent in general or aerobic physical activity, time spent sitting, sleep problems, general health, work satisfaction, and nutrition. Using logistic regression, we observed potential risk factors for musculoskeletal pain. RESULTS: The prevalence of neck pain, shoulder pain, and lower back pain (LBP) were found to be 48.1%, 47.6%, and 63.8%, respectively. It was found that being a female (OR=1.78 [1.41-2.25], p<0.001), married (OR=1.58 [1.34-1.86], p<0.001), and having poor general health status (OR=3.78 [2.2-6.49], p<0.001), sleep disturbances (OR=2.46 [2.04-2.97], p<0.001) and poor job satisfaction (OR=1.29 [1.05-1.60], p=0.016) were independently associated with the prevalence of musculoskeletal pain. The diet of the individuals did not significantly influence the prevalence of MSPs. CONCLUSION: Good general health, good sleep, and good job satisfaction were associated with a reduced risk of experiencing neck or shoulder pain, but there was no association between physical activity and MSPs Longitudinal studies are required to acquire a better understanding of the relationship between MSP, aerobic activity, sleep, and diet.
RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: The admission of patients on weekends in multiple health centers has been associated with poorer outcomes relative to care provided during regular weekday hours. This study aimed to assess and compare the health outcomes of patients discharged on weekends and weekdays after undergoing surgery in a tertiary hospital in Taif, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The data of patients were collected from hospital records in a retrospective manner, and the outcomes were assessed after discharge. Patients discharged on Friday and Saturday were considered weekend discharges, and those discharged on other days were considered weekday discharges. Data related to readmission and emergency department (ED) visits included the primary diagnosis, number of days post-primary discharge, length of stay, chief complaint, and the number of ED visits. A logistic regression model was done to assess the predictive factor for 30-readmission after surgery. Results: The frequency of discharge over the weekend was 9.1%. About 6.5% and 7.3% were found to have 30-day readmission and 30-day ED visits, respectively. A statistically significant association was not observed between weekend discharge and the development of postoperative complications (p>0.05). A multinomial logistic regression showed that patients who had emergency admission, postoperative complications, and the presence of cancer were found to be independently associated with 30-day readmission after discharge (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Proactive strategies to reduce costly readmissions after surgery can be designed once the high-risk patient subset is identified.
RESUMEN
Background The eustachian tube is a tubular structure connecting the middle ear cavity with the nasopharynx, providing ventilation and pressure equalization in the middle ear, mucociliary clearance, and preventing the reflux of sound and fluid from the nasopharynx. Therefore, any kind of deficiency in this tube will lead to eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). Aim This study aims to evaluate the prevalence and associated factors of ETD in the Taif public. Materials and methods A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among the public in Taif, Saudi Arabia and it was done during the period between September 7 and September 28, 2021. A predesigned online questionnaire in the Arabic language was used to collect the data. The questionnaire contained three main parts. The first one included demographic questions, the second risk factors, and the third manifestations of ETD. The questionnaire was initiated after a literature review of similar articles and after experts' consultation for validity and reliability. Results A total of 693 participants completed the study questionnaire. The exact 546 (78.8%) participants were females and 671 (96.8%) were Saudi. The exact 122 (61%) participants among those who had ETD or hearing loss reported improvement in their symptoms after moving to another city below sea level. The exact 146 (21.1%) participants had ETD while 547 (78.9%) had reported normal function. ETD was detected among 69.2% of those who were previously diagnosed with ETD versus 20.1% of others (P=0.001). Participants with a family history of hearing loss showed a nearly doubled risk for having ETD (OR=1.98; 95% CI: 1.33-2.94) and smokers had nearly the same doubled likelihood(OR=1.83; 95% CI: 1.01-3.48). Conclusion In conclusion, our study revealed a slightly high prevalence of ETD and hearing loss among the public in Taif, Saudi Arabia, and the factors associated with ETD.