Stress-Related Hair Loss Among the General Population in Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Hair loss is a prevalent concern affecting individuals worldwide, often attributed to various factors including genetics, hormonal changes, and stress. This study aims to investigate the prevalence of stress-related hair loss among the general population in Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia, and hair loss association with sociodemographic characteristics and risk factors. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 1080 participants. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire that encompassed sociodemographic factors, stress levels, psychosocial factors, and habits related to hair care and lifestyle. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression analysis. Results The study revealed that 770 (71.3%) of participants reported experiencing hair loss, with females showing a higher prevalence compared to males 622 vs. 148 (78.2% vs. 51.9%). A significant relationship between age and hair loss was observed (Chi-x2 = 8.264, p-value = 0.016), with individuals aged 31 to 40 years experiencing hair loss more frequently 108 (80.6%). Stress was found to be a significant contributing factor to hair loss (χ^2 = 37.533, p < 0.001), with 674 (73.8%) of participants reporting stress. Moreover, stress levels exhibited a dose-response relationship with the severity of hair loss. Psychosocial factors, including personal relationship problems and financial difficulties, also demonstrated significant associations with hair loss (p-value = 0.005, 0.003, respectively). Conclusion The study underscores the considerable prevalence of stress-related hair loss among the general population in Al Majma'ah, Saudi Arabia. Stress, along with various sociodemographic and psychosocial factors, emerged as significant contributors to hair loss. These findings emphasize the need for holistic approaches that address both physiological and psychological aspects to mitigate the burden of hair loss in the community. Further research is warranted to explore the underlying mechanisms and develop targeted interventions for individuals at risk of stress-induced hair loss.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Self-Reported Frequency of Hospital Visits and Pediatric Care Outcomes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Introduction Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has influenced various aspects of health care and its outcomes. Several studies conducted on different age groups from different countries have reported a decrease in the frequency of hospital visits during the pandemic. Aim This study aimed to assess the self-reported effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital visits and healthcare outcomes in the pediatric age group. We further aimed to assess the participants' beliefs on the reasons for decreased frequency of hospital visits during the pandemic. Methods This was a quantitative analytical cross-sectional study. Data from the parents of children less than 14 years living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was collected using a self-administered structured questionnaire. The questionnaire included sociodemographic characteristics of the participants, self-reported frequency of hospital visits, and potential consequences on pediatric care outcomes during the pandemic. A total of 1,548 initial respondents filled the questionnaire, out of which only 1,311 had children aged less than 14 years. SPSS version 25 (IBM, New York, USA) was used for statistical analysis. Results We found that of the 1,311 eligible respondents, majority (75.1%) were mothers of the children while only 24.9% were fathers, and 34.4% of the respondents had two children less than 14 years. Majority (76.7%) of the respondents were from the central region and felt that the pandemic has reduced their frequency of hospital visits. Furthermore, majority (78.6%) of the respondents believed that the decreased hospital (emergency or clinic) visits did not have any negative effect on the health and care of their children. Moreover, 56.4% of the participants responded that lack of the need to visit the hospital during the pandemic was the reason for their decreased hospital visits frequency, and 51.6% were afraid of being infected by the virus. There was a significant association between decreased hospital visits and missing an appointment for vaccination, delayed diagnosis, deterioration of participants' children's condition, and running out of treatment and inability to refill. Conclusion This study was conducted to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospital visits and pediatric care outcomes in the KSA. We hypothesized that the pandemic has led to a reduction in pediatric hospital visits which might influence pediatric care outcomes. We found that there was a decrease in the frequency of hospital visits. This decrease was attributed to the lack of the need to go to the hospital or to the fear of being infected by the virus. A significant association was found between the participants' beliefs of the pandemic effect on hospital visits and its effect on the pediatric care outcomes.

Level of awareness and attitudes toward epilepsy in Qassim, Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: Reports of poor knowledge about epilepsy in different cities of Saudi Arabia have emphasized the need for a similar study of this issue in the Qassim region. Therefore, we aimed to determine the level of awareness and attitudes toward epilepsy in the population of Qassim, Saudi Arabia. METHOD: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Qassim region. A valid pretested questionnaire was distributed among Qassim residents in public places, such as malls, mosques, and parks. The sample size consisted of 3800 people from multiple cities in the Qassim region. The study was approved by the Qassim committee in Qassim University, and verbal consent was obtained from participants. RESULTS: Data were obtained from 2253 males (59.3%) and 1544 females (40.6%). A large number of respondents were between 15 and 30 years (59.7%). The data showed that 85.5% of people had heard about epilepsy or read about it and 33% knew a patient with epilepsy while 42.7% had seen or witnessed someone having a seizure. It was also found that 73.2% of parents would allow their child to play with patients with epilepsy, 35.7% would allow their son or daughter to marry a patient with epilepsy, and 74.9% think that patients with epilepsy can be employed in jobs, like other people. CONCLUSION: Insufficient knowledge about epilepsy, which is a very common disorder, has a great and negative impact on people with epilepsy, their families and communities, and the healthcare systems. In our study, we found that good knowledge was associated with being a young adult, male, unmarried, and being a university student.

Medical Students' Opinion Toward the Application of Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Healthcare.

CONTEXT: An accelerated approach to popularize complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in healthcare services has led to the need to assess medical students' knowledge of CAM. Furthermore, their attitude toward its efficacy and usage will determine its growing popularity in healthcare. Another key idea is to integrate CAM with conventional medical teaching to make it a part of the mainstream medical curriculum. The objectives were to assess the medical students' perceptions about integrating CAM with conventional medicine and to assess the attitude of prescribing different CAM modalities to patients presenting with a particular disease or health disorder. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: This is a descriptive, institutional based study conducted on undergraduate 3rd year medical students. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data were collected by a structured and pretested questionnaire to be filled in by the participants in the presence of the investigator. Statistical data were entered in SPSS software, and descriptive analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Most of the students (74%) agreed that conventional and CAM therapy can be integrated to achieve a better health care outcome. Forty-eight percent of the participants were positive that knowledge of CAM is important since many patients still prefer this option, particularly for chronic illnesses. CONCLUSIONS: The students were receptive to the introduction of a new treatment method in their curriculum, which although unconventional, presents an alternative and traditional form of treatment even if it does not have major backing from the scientific community. The participants felt that more knowledge is required to make an informed opinion about its usefulness to the community as a whole.