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Background Herpes zoster (HZ) is a viral infection resulting from the reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus. The vaccination was proven to prevent herpes zoster and its complications for individuals over the age of 50 since they are more susceptible to herpes zoster infection. Therefore, it is essential to understand and acknowledge the herpes zoster infection and vaccine. This study aims to assess the level of knowledge and attitude towards herpes zoster and its vaccination among individuals at risk in Saudi Arabia. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2023 and June 2023 among the general population in Saudi Arabia, using a self-administered online questionnaire adapted from a previous study after translating it into Arabic. Results A total of 1883 participants were included in this study, almost equally distributed across the five regions of Saudi Arabia. Females represented 62.4% (n=1175), and 56% (n=1062) of participants reported a positive history of chickenpox, while 3.6% (n=67) reported a history of herpes zoster. Furthermore, 78.9% (n=1486) have heard of herpes zoster, while 68.8% (n=1296) have at least one of the herpes zoster risk factors. Only 7.8% (n=147) had high knowledge about HZ, and only 3.1% (n=58) had adequate knowledge regarding the HZ vaccine. Conclusion Our study findings show that the general population of Saudi Arabia has inadequate knowledge about herpes zoster and its vaccine. For that reason, awareness and education programs targeting individuals at high risk of herpes zoster are required to enhance awareness and knowledge about herpes zoster and to improve their attitudes toward the herpes zoster vaccination.
RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder, mainly in children. The signs and symptoms of ADHD include inattention, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. Consequently, Childhood Absence Epilepsy (CAE) tends to present in children with sudden and recurrent episodes of loss of awareness alongside symptoms that occasionally include clonic, atonic, and simple automatisms. The present study evaluates parents' knowledge in Makkah regarding the difference between ADHD and CAE. METHODOLOGY: The study was conducted among Saudi Arabian parents living in Makkah. Data were collected in April 2022 through the use of an online survey that was distributed electronically via social media platforms. The inclusion criteria entailed parents from different socio-economic backgrounds. In contrast, the exclusion criteria entailed parents who had not been involved in raising their children and those with children with intellectual disabilities. A group of consultants was tasked with validating all data collected through an original questionnaire. To effectively calculate the study sample size, OpenEpi Version 3.01 was used. Lastly, all statistical analyses were conducted with Stata Social Sciences (SPSS®) software for Mac, version 26 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA). RESULTS: A total of 633 participants completed the survey. Of the total respondents, approximately 1% indicated having a good knowledge level, 15.17% indicated having moderate knowledge, and the remaining 84% indicated poor knowledge of the subject under study. Approximately 46% of the participants reported that social media was the primary source of information. One significant issue regards the observation that the parent's level of education was statistically associated with the level of knowledge. CONCLUSION: There is limited awareness of the difference between (ADHD) and (CAE) among parents in the pediatric population. These findings highlight an opportunity to raise awareness using well-organized education programs in Makkah City.
