Association of Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms and Treatment Adherence Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Jazan, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes mellitus is a serious public health concern. It is associated with many psychological problems, such as depression, anxiety, and eating disorders. These co-morbidities are associated with improper adherence to treatment, self-care, poor glycemic control, more complications, and worse outcomes. METHODS: This study aimed to measure the level of medication adherence among type 2 diabetics in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, and to find its association with their psychological status (specifically, depression and anxiety). A cross-sectional descriptive design was used among adults with type 2 diabetes at the Diabetes and Endocrinology Center in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. The estimated sample size was 480 patients. The General Medication Adherence Scale and Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4) were used as tools to achieve the study objectives. RESULTS: A total of 449 diabetic patients completed the survey (93.5% response rate). Patients with poor, low, and partial adherence account for 337 (75%) of patients and only 112 (25%) have good and high medication adherence. Employment and duration of illness were highly significant with a positive relationship to treatment adherence (p = 0.010 and 0.000, respectively). On the other hand, age and disease duration had a significant relationship with psychological disorders (p = 0.029 and 0.002, respectively). Of the patients, 64 (14.3%) had high scores on the PHQ-4, with depressive symptoms in 46 (10.24%) and anxiety symptoms in 75 (16.7%). Correlation analysis reveals that there is a highly significant negative correlation between psychological disorders and adherence to medications (r = -0.288, p = 0.000). CONCLUSION: A negative correlation between psychological disorders and adherence to medications was found. The findings indicate the importance of psychological support for diabetic patients for better treatment adherence.

History of Pica, Obesity, and Their Associations with Anemia in Pregnancy: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study.

Anemia in pregnancy represents a major global health problem, and progress is insufficient to meet the World Health Assembly's global nutrition target of halving anemia prevalence by 2030. We assessed the prevalence and factors associated with anemia among pregnant women in northern Sudan. This community-based cross-sectional study was conducted at Almatamah, River Nile State, Sudan. Sociodemographic and obstetric data were collected using a questionnaire. Hemoglobin (Hb) was measured using an automated hematology analyzer. Multivariate and simple linear regression analyses were performed. A total of 586 pregnant women were enrolled. Their median (interquartile range, IQR) age was 25 (21-30) years. The median (IQR) of body mass index (BMI) was 26.67 (24.34-30.04) kg/m2. The median (IQR) for Hb was 11.0 (10.0-11.9) g/dL. Of the 586 women, 271 (46.2%) had anemia (Hb: <11 gm/dL). In multivariate analysis, increasing BMI and obesity were significantly associated with decreased odds ratios (ORs) of anemia, while pica was associated with increased ORs of anemia. In conclusion, anemia in pregnant women is a major public health problem, as approximately half of pregnant women in northern Sudan have anemia. Increasing BMI and obesity were associated with a lower risk for anemia. More efforts are needed to improve the maternal nutritional status for good pregnancy outcomes.

Caffeine Consumption and Its Potential Health Effects on Saudi Adolescents in Jazan.

Background Caffeine is the most popular product consumed globally in different types and amounts by various age groups. This study aimed to identify caffeine consumption patterns among adolescents in Jazan and explore related health effects. Methodology A cross-sectional study was conducted in Jazan on adolescents between 12 and 18 years of age. The consumption of coffee and caffeinated products and their potential health effects were evaluated using a self-reported online questionnaire. The data were analyzed using software for descriptive and inferential statistics. Results A total of 718 participants were enrolled in this study, with the age group of 16-18 years constituting the highest percentage (48.9%). Nearly 94% of the participants consumed coffee or caffeinated products, with 57% consuming the products infrequently. About 6.6% consumed coffee or caffeinated products more than three times daily, and about half of the participants used medium-sized cups. The most consumed type of caffeinated beverage was Arabic coffee, followed by tea, soft drinks, and Nescafe. Education level and age group showed a significant correlation with consumption patterns. The most common health effects of caffeine consumption were headaches, irregular sleep, and nausea, which were statistically related to age group, gender, and comorbid conditions. Conclusions Consumption of coffee and caffeinated beverages was relatively high among adolescents in this study. Further research on the habits of Saudi adolescent consumers, particularly across different areas of the country, is required.

Prevalence and Associated Factors of Eating Disorders Among Female Students at Jazan University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Survey Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Concerns about the incidence of eating disorders (EDs) among university students are spreading throughout the world. In Saudi Arabia, little is known about the prevalence and associated factors of EDs among female university students. Thus, this study investigated the prevalence, common types, and potential associated factors of EDs among female students of Jazan University.  Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between August 31, 2020, and November 2, 2020. The snowball technique was used to recruit female students via an electronic survey distributed in Arabic. The survey collected information about demographic characteristics, and SCOFF (Sick, Control, One, Fat, Food) and Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) scales. Cronbach's alpha for the SCOFF and EAT-26 scales was calculated to be 0.78 and 0.58, respectively, in this study. RESULTS: A total of 566 female students participated in the survey, with a mean age of 22.12 ± 2.93 years. The results showed that 47.9% of participants were at risk for EDs based on SCOFF scores, while 26.5% were at risk based on EAT-26 scores. The most common types of EDs were bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder. Furthermore, the study identified several sociodemographic characteristics, including year of study (p = 0.042), college type (p = 0.004), body weight (p = 0.001), and BMI (p = 0.001), that are significantly associated with EDs. However, no significant relationships were observed between marital status (p = 0.103), age (p = 0.147), and height (p = 0.509) with SCOFF scores. Some students reported frequent binge eating, purging, or laxative/diet pill misuse. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed a moderate to high prevalence of risk for EDs among female university students in Jazan, Saudi Arabia, associated with higher study years, college majors, and body weight and BMI. Dangerous ED behaviors reported by some students signal an urgent need for resources to identify and support those suffering from these disorders. Targeted interventions and services may help address this critical issue on campuses and support vulnerable students in need. Continued research and public health action are needed to curb the spread of these disorders.

Prevalence of Varicose Veins Among Nurses in Different Departments in Jazan Public Hospitals, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Varicose veins (VV) in the lower limbs are the most prevalent vascular condition in humans. They can cause significant signs and symptoms and, in extreme cases, death. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and identify the risk factors for varicose veins among nurses working in multiple departments at Jazan King Fahd Central Hospital and Prince Muhammad bin Nasser Hospital. A cross-sectional study was conducted by sending a questionnaire to female and male nurses in these hospitals. This study included 482 nurses, 415 (86.1%) of whom were female and 67 (13.9%) male. The prevalence of varicose veins among the nurses of both hospitals was 76 (15.8%), compared with 406 (84.2%) not diagnosed with varicose veins. The prevalence of varicose veins was 67 (88.2%) in female nurses, compared with 9 (11.8%) in male nurses. The risk factors associated with varicose veins were ethnicity (p = 0.007), carrying heavy items (p = 0.001), lack of exercise (p = 0.031), family history (p = 0.001), use of hormonal therapy (p = 0.001), use of contraceptive pills (p = 0.0035), type of delivery (p = 0.002), number of children (p = 0.004), and hours sitting per shift (p = 0.002). The comorbidities associated with varicose veins were deep vein thrombosis (p = 0.001), hypertension (p = 0.002), chronic constipation (p = 0.006), diabetes (p = 0.001), kidney disease (p = 0.001), rheumatoid arthritis (p = 0.001), coronary artery disease, and severe occupational injury to the lower extremities (p = 0.001). Nurses are responsible for most of the health system's services. Increasing the number of nursing workers for patient care, encouraging physical exercise, and lowering the pension age appear to be required to avoid the occurrence and development of varicose veins among nurses.