Knowledge of Diabetic Foot Among Nurses at a Tertiary Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Diabetic foot is the leading cause of hospitalization among patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). Nurses have a significant role in helping diabetic foot patients by educating them about their condition. Therefore, assessing the knowledge of diabetic foot among nurses will help provide better healthcare services to these patients. Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge of diabetic foot care among the nursing staff at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from March to May 2020. A total of 172 nurses from different departments of the hospital were randomly selected. A validated questionnaire including 68 yes-or-no questions about diabetic foot management was used for the assessment. Results: The average total score of the entire questionnaire was 59 (standard deviation, ±7). During our study, the nursing school curriculum was found to be the major source of knowledge for nurses. Statistical significance (p=0.031) was found for the association between educational background and answers to the risk factor questions. According to our results, most nurses indicated that they believed that reporting any changes to the feet and toes and signs of infection to the physician was the best way to prevent the development of DM foot. Conclusion: Specialized training programs beyond basic nursing education will reinforce knowledge and skills, resulting in an expected lower risk of amputation for DM patients.

Recurrence rates and long-term survival factors in young women with breast cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the factors related to breast cancer (BC) recurrence as well as survival in women ≤40 years old. METHODS: This is a retrospective medical record review of women aged ≤40 years diagnosed with BC stages I to III between January 2009 and June 2017 at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Demographic data collected included patients' initial presentation (including age and date of diagnosis), imaging studies, tumor characteristics, type of surgery, systemic therapy (if any) received, and site of first recurrence. Data was analyzed to assess recurrence rate, disease-free survival (DFS), and overall survival (OS), and determine associated factors. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the mean, median, standard deviation, and quartiles. Chi-square test was performed to test the association between 2 variables. Kaplan-Meier analyses were performed to assess survival distribution. RESULTS: A total of 117 patients were included for analysis. Median follow-up was 16 months (range 0 to 99). Five-year DFS 57% and OS was 89%. Adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with a better DFS (hazard ratio of 0.204; 95% confidence interval, 0.050 to 0.832; p=0.027). Higher tumor, node, metastasis stage was significantly associated with worse DFS (p=0.034). Fewer postoperative follow-up visits signi cantly predicted recurrence (p=0.003). CONCLUSION: We found a high risk of BC recurrence among patients at our institution. Higher cancer stage, nonuse adjuvant chemotherapy, and low follow-up rate were significant predictive factors for recurrence.

Knowledge of diabetic foot care management among medical students at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate medical students' knowledge of diabetic foot care management and its related factors. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional, descriptive study of 303 students studying at King Abdulaziz University Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia conducted from June to July 2019. Data were collected using a two-part questionnaire. The first one captured student information; the second assessed student knowledge. It consists of 68 true and false questions divided into 4 subscales (risk factors, foot examination, foot complications and footwear selection). The higher the total score is, the higher the students' knowledge. RESULTS: The total average knowledge score was 55.5±5.5 out of 68. While the mean score was 14.11/16 for risk factors, 9.24/10 for foot examination, 24.21/32 for foot complications, and 7.88/10 for footwear selection subscales. Only 56.4% of students educated diabetic patients about diabetic foot risks;concurrently, only 63% performed foot examinations in diabetes patients. Students who educated diabetic patients, preformed foot exam, or attended extra elective clinical rotation in a diabetic foot team, had a significantly higher knowledge level. Conclusion: Students were found to have high level of knowledge regarding diabetic foot management. Students who educated patients about diabetic foot risk, performed foot examination on patients and students who took elective rotations in a diabetic foot care team had a higher knowledge level.

Assessing knowledge on preventive colorectal cancer screening in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study.

CONTEXT: According to the Saudi Cancer Registry's 2014 Cancer Incidence Report, colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading form of malignant cancer among Saudi men and ranks third among women. Raising awareness about CRC risk factors could lead to a significant decline in incidence of disease. AIMS: To assess CRC awareness and evaluate the main barriers that might prevent individuals' participation in screening. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A self-administered survey was conducted over two days as part of a CRC awareness campaign in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in March, 2018. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The survey addressed issues regarding knowledge of CRC and available screening methods. The survey also examined barriers that might make one reluctant to undergo preventative screening. Stata/SE 15.0 was used for all statistical analyses. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Continuous variables were described with frequencies and percentages. Stepwise linear regression models were constructed to predict CRC knowledge and barriers. RESULTS: Out of 422 participants, 50.2% were men. Most respondents were between 15-35 years old (65.8%). Multivariate analysis revealed that gender was a significant predictor of CRC knowledge. Furthermore, the variables of education and family history of CRC significantly predicted subjects' awareness of colonoscopic screenings. The most common barriers for seeking screening included fear of the procedure, absence of clinical symptoms, and fear of the results. CONCLUSIONS: Our results highlight deficits in public CRC knowledge and their awareness of preventative measures. These shortcomings were found to be mainly related to education level. Specific barriers affecting screening decisions were also identified; intensive efforts on awareness to overcome these obstacles will be required.

Health-promoting lifestyle profile and associated factors among medical students in a Saudi university.

OBJECTIVES: Health promotion is the main strategy for encouraging people to adopt a healthy lifestyle and for preventing non-communicable diseases. Medical students, in particular, are expected to have an important role in health promotion in their near future as physicians. The aim of this study was to determine and evaluate all six components of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile and its sociodemographic determinants among medical students. METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted in January 2018 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire used in this study consisted of two parts: the first part included sociodemographic questions and body mass index measurement and the second part consisted of questions from the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II. RESULTS: The study enrolled 243 medical students, of which 55.1% were male, 39.5% were in their fifth year, and more than half had a monthly family income above 20,000 Saudi Riyal. The mean body mass index of the respondents was 25.1 ± 5.2 (range = 13.7-43.8). The total mean score of the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II was 123.8 ± 19.8 (range = 72-191). Study findings showed that health-promoting profiles differed by gender, particularly with respect to physical activity and interpersonal relationships. Factors were found to be associated with the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II subscales, including income and year of study. CONCLUSIONS: University students, and in particular health science students, represent an appropriate area for health promotion interventions to be established.