Public Awareness of Common Age-Related Eye Diseases in Northern Saudi Arabia.

Background: Visual impairment and blindness pose substantial public health challenges in Saudi Arabia, especially among the elderly susceptible to blinding eye diseases. Assessing awareness of age-related eye diseases (AREDs) is vital for addressing vision loss in this demographic. However, there is a lack of research on ARED awareness in Northern Saudi Arabia, underscoring the need for evidence-based data from adult populations to craft effective health promotion strategies. METHODS: This population-based descriptive survey was conducted on 411 Saudi adults aged 18-70 residing in Arar City, Saudi Arabia, over six months from September 2023. Random sampling was employed, and awareness levels were assessed using a pre-designed questionnaire. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS, version 20.0; IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Armonk, NY). RESULTS:  Among the 411 participants, 225 (54.7%) were aged 18-29 years, 312 (76%) were females, and 299 (72.6%) held a bachelor's degree or diploma. Regarding awareness, 71.3% knew about cataracts, but nearly half erroneously believed it could be treated solely medically. For diabetic retinopathy (DR), 366 (89%) recognized lifestyle modifications, and 378 (92%) understood screening as preventive measures. Most participants understood prevention methods for all four diseases, but misconceptions about treatment options were observed. Awareness of glaucoma and age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) was lower. No significant age-related differences were found in awareness, except for cataracts (P = 0.001). Education significantly influenced awareness of cataracts, DR, and glaucoma (P = 0.001, 0.013, and 0.008, respectively), but not ARMD (P = 0.606). The study found that the internet is the primary source of information on AREDs for most participants, except for cataracts, where friends and relatives are prominent. CONCLUSION: The study reveals varying awareness levels of AREDs among Saudi adults. Although most participants understood preventive measures, misconceptions about treatment underscore the need for accurate education channels. Healthcare professionals must ensure information reliability to effectively combat misinformation and enhance awareness of AREDs.

Awareness of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Among the Adult Population in Northern Saudi Arabia.

Background Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most prevalent entrapment neuropathy affecting the upper limb. It is recognized as a complex condition that is attributed to both non-medical and medical risk factors. Lack of awareness leads to delays in seeking advice, diagnosis, and treatment.  Objective To determine the awareness of CTS, its associated symptoms, signs, and risk factors among the adult population. Subjects and methods A cross-sectional study design was carried out among the adult population in Arar city, Northern Saudi Arabia.  Results In total, 338 respondents participated in this study. More than one-third (40.8%) mentioned that median nerve entrapment is a cause of CTS. The most commonly cited risk factor by the respondents was engaging in physical tasks such as using a computer (53%). Additionally, 60% of participants agreed that symptoms of CTS include tingling and numbness in the thumb, index, and middle fingers. Conclusion The findings of the study indicated a lack of adequate community awareness about CTS among the studied population.

Views and attitudes of university students in Upper Egypt towards youth health centers.

BACKGROUND: A healthy youth is considered the major human resource for any country development. They are suffering from unmet health needs. Considering these needs and their attitude towards the use of youth health center (YHC) services would help to improve both the quality and quantity of these services. OBJECTIVES: To identify the students' perceived health needs and their attitude towards use of the YHCs in Assiut University campus, Upper Egypt a cross-sectional study was conducted among 305 randomly selected university students. Data were collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: The majority of the students (80%) said that youth have special health needs. The most reported needs were psychological support, health education on different topics including reproductive health and sexually transmitted diseases, and nutritional services respectively. There was a high perception among surveyed students (71.5%) that the existing health services are inadequate for meeting their needs. Counseling, laboratory services, and premarital examination were the most frequently reported services mentioned by youth to be offered in YHCs. The majority (78.1%) preferred the health provider to be of the same sex. Despite the prevailing conservative culture in Upper Egypt, the students had positive attitude towards availability of sexual and reproductive information and establishment of a YHC in the university campus. A low awareness rate (15.1%) about the already existing YHC in university campus was revealed. CONCLUSION: University students perceived that there are unmet needs for youth-specialized services, mainly for providing sexual and reproductive information, and establishment of an on-campus YHC. The study provides important information for policymakers about the perspectives of youth which should be taken into consideration when new YHC are planned and implemented.

Epidemiology of dysmenorrhea among secondary-school students in Northern Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Dysmenorrhea is one of the most common and important health problems, especially among young girls. It results in absence from school and work. It has some negative effects on the daily activities of patients. Because of cultural problems, patients ordinarily do not seek help from others in this situation. Identification of abnormal menstrual patterns during adolescence may permit early prevention of potential health concerns in adulthood. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, severity, and impact of dysmenorrhea in secondary-school students and its association with school absenteeism in Arar city. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in four secondary schools for girls in Arar city on 344 secondary school students during the academic year 2015-2016. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to all participants; questions were related to menstruation, elucidating variations in menstrual patterns, history of dysmenorrheal, and absenteeism from school. RESULTS: All adolescent school girls completed the questionnaire (n=344). The prevalence of dysmenorrhea was 74.4% (n=256) (mild=21.1%, moderate=41.4%, and severe=37.5%). Family history of dysmenorrhea was reported among 65.6% and fatigue was the most commonly associated symptom (79.7%) among dysmenorrheic girls. Limitation of activities was reported by the majority of participants with dysmenorrhea. Activities affected by dysmenorrhea included homework (78.9%), daily activities (75%), class concentration (71.9%), school attendance (59.4%), and academic performance (52.3%); about 50.8% reported social withdrawal due to dysmenorrhea. Eighteen percent consulted a school physician and 57.8% received herbal drinks to alleviate symptoms of dysmenorrhea. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Dysmenorrhea is highly prevalent among adolescent secondary-school girls and is associated with school absenteeism and limitations on social and academic activities. Given that most adolescents do not seek medical advice for dysmenorrhea, healthcare providers should screen routinely for dysmenorrhea and offer treatment. As dysmenorrhea reportedly affects school performance, school administrators may have a vested interest in providing health education on this topic to their students. Health education has to be supplemented by availability of other services such as consultation with school nurse and school physician and availability of drugs that alleviate pain.

Violence against wives: a silent suffering in northern Saudi community.

BACKGROUND: Violence against women is a worldwide epidemic. It may take different forms depending on history, culture, background, and experiences, but it causes great suffering for women, their families, and the communities in which they live. Despite its high prevalence, no previous studies that have been conducted in Arar, northern area of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), addressing this issue could be traced. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence and determinants of violence experienced by ever-married women attending primary health centers in Arar city, Northern Border, KSA. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional study conducted during the period from January to June 2014 in Arar city in the Northern Province of the KSA. Data were collected through an interviewer-administered questionnaire. A total of 208 wives (184 currently married, 16 divorced, and eight widowed) attending five randomly selected primary healthcare centers in Arar, KSA, were interviewed. Collected data provided information on both physical and emotional violence. RESULTS: The study revealed that the overall prevalence of domestic violence in the studied group was 80.7 and 100.0% for physical and psychological violence, respectively. On studying the reasons for physical violence, half (50%) of the participants reported no clear cause, 19.2% reported failure to adequately care for children (such as cleaning, feeding, and dressing), and 7.8% reported causes related to poor scholastic achievement and couple conflict about appropriate approaches of upbringing of children. Suspicion on wife's fidelity was the most common form of psychological violence (21%). The perpetrator was the husband in 76.9% of cases and the husband's family was the perpetrator in 3.8% of cases. Physical violence was significantly higher during the first 10 years of marriage compared with other durations. University-educated husbands showed significantly lower percentage of physical violence against women compared with those of other educational levels. CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Violence against women was highly prevalent in Arar city. Inadequate care of children and poor scholastic achievement were the most common reasons of physical violence, whereas financial conflicts and suspicion of wife's fidelity were the most common reasons for psychological violence. We recommend awareness programs aiming at educating current and future couples, and proper training of healthcare providers for assisting cases experiencing violence against women.