Understanding the burden of mental and physical health disorders on families: findings from the Saudi National Mental Health Survey.

OBJECTIVE: To assess prevalence and correlation of factors of family burden associated with mental and physical disorders in the general population of Saudi Arabia. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A secondary analysis of data from the Saudi National Mental Health Survey (SNMHS). OUTCOME MEASURES: Mental and physical health disorders of first-degree relatives and objective (time, financial) and subjective (distress, embarrassment) family burden. RESULTS: We found significant caregiver burden for family members with mental health disorders. Around one-third of the sample was providing care for a family member with a health issue. Within this group, 40% had a mental health diagnosis. 73% of the study population reported experiencing some form of burden as a result of the care they are obligated to provide for their family members. We found the highest burden on male caregivers, in providing care for family members with serious memory disorders, mental retardation, schizophrenia or psychosis, followed by, alcohol and drug disorders, anxiety, depression or manic depression. CONCLUSION: Our findings for family burden were statistically significant, indicating potential negative impact on caregiver coping ability with the demands of caring for family members with health issues. A comprehensive review of national mental health policies is required to integrate aspects of community mental health promotion, scale-up prevention, screening interventions and social support to protect against the difficulties of mental illness and reduce the burden on caregivers, the family, society, health system and the economy.

Risk of Postpartum Depression: The Considerable Role of Maternal Health Status and Lifestyle.

Women's health issues are complex and require collaborative efforts to unravel some of these complexities. This study aims to identify the incidence risk of Postpartum Depression (PPD) in a national sample of women in Saudi Arabia and the relationship with several health status, lifestyle, and sociodemographic factors. A cross-sectional study with an online questionnaire format assessed the risk of postpartum depression using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and included several questions on postpartum health status and lifestyle factors. Of the 550 women who responded to the survey 75% scored within range of risk for PPD (≥12). We found significant associations between family income, younger baby age, birth difficulty, having family support, level of physical activity, and the risk for PPD (p < 0.05). Urgent attention and resources should be directed towards screening and treatment for PPD in the healthcare system. The development of programs for awareness, education, and support of postpartum mothers in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is also required.

Dairy products intake and the risk of postpartum depression among mothers: A pilot study.

Introduction: Postpartum depression is a prevalent consequence of childbirth experienced by many women. There has been evidence linking dairy intake during pregnancy with a reduction in postpartum depression symptoms. However, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the effects of postpartum dairy consumption on postpartum depression. Objectives: To examine whether dairy products intake and calcium in dairy is associated with postpartum depression. Methods: A pilot study was conducted (n = 49 postpartum women). A food frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate the participants' consumption of calcium and dairy products during pregnancy, and the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was used to screen for postpartum depression symptoms. Results: Of 49 participants, 26 (53%) were at risk for postpartum depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale ⩾ 12). Consuming >1 serving of Laban per day is significantly associated with reduced risk of postpartum depression (odds ratio = 0.01, 95% confidence interval [0, 0.3]). Total dairy intake >1 serving per day is significantly associated with reduced risk of postpartum depression (odds ratio = 0.17, 95% confidence interval [0.03, 0.83]). No significant association was found between the postpartum intake of milk, cheese, yogurt, or calcium and postpartum depression. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that higher total dairy intake was associated with a lower likelihood of postpartum depression. Further assessment with a larger sample size of participants could provide additional insight into the potential of dietary dairy to mitigate postpartum depression.

Quality of Work Life of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Quality of Work Life is a multi-dimensional discipline that is concerned with the quality of life in the workplace. This study aimed to assess quality of work-life level and identify the correlation between its dimensions and Job and Career Satisfaction. The study used the 32-item WRQoL-2 tool, a questionnaire consisting of 6 subscales: Job and Career Satisfaction, Control at Work, Home-Work Interface, General Wellbeing, Stress at Work, and Work Conditions, to assess for these correlations. 57 Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists (MRITs) (100%) responded to the questionnaire. The study found a high level of QWL among MRITs (66.2%, 3.31/5). The level of the JCS was high (71.6%, 3.59/5), with significant correlations between JCS and WCS, CAW, HWI, and GWB. An inverse relationship was noted between SAW and JCS. Further research on QWL is advised to diagnose and provide recommendation to resolve issues that may adversely affect the quality of healthcare service provision.

The Effect of Dairy Products and Nutrient Intake after Childbirth on the Risk of Postpartum Depression.

Previous studies have shown an association between the intake of dairy products during pregnancy and reduced symptoms of postpartum depression (PPD). However, the effect of postpartum intake of dairy products on PPD is not fully understood. This study evaluates the effects of dairy products and nutrient intake after childbirth on the risk of PPD. A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted asking participants to fill out a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) to assess intake of dairy products and other nutrients. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) was used to screen for PPD symptoms. Out of 530 participants, almost three-quarters subjectively reported PPD (N = 395, 74.11%). The risk of PPD was relatively high for a Q1 level of consumption of all four dairy products and other nutrients, and from Q2 to Q4 there appeared to be an increase in the risk of PPD as consumption increased. However, after adjustment for confounding factors, there was no significant association between postpartum intake of dairy products and other nutrients and PPD. The results indicate that the potential of dairy products and nutrient intake to reduce PPD are minimal. Further longitudinal and intervention studies of dairy products and other (particularly anti-depressants) nutrients are required to draw firm conclusions about their associations with the risk of PPD.

Physical activity patterns among women during the postpartum period: an insight into the potential impact of perceived fatigue.

BACKGROUND: Regular participation in physical activity (PA) improves physical well-being and reduces the risk of contracting noncommunicable diseases. However, fatigue could negatively impact the PA participation of women in their postpartum period. This study delineated the levels of perceived fatigue and characterized the association between fatigue and the PA patterns of postpartum women. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed to postpartum women living in Saudi Arabia. Their perceived postpartum fatigue (PPF) was assessed using the fatigue severity scale; their PA, using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaires; and their postpartum depression, using the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale. Descriptive statistics were expressed as the mean ± standard deviation for normally distributed variables and as the median (interquartile range) for non-normally distributed variables. Between-group differences were tested using the Mann-Whitney U test for independent samples. To determine the relationship between the study variables, Spearman's rho correlation coefficient was calculated. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to explain the role of fatigue severity as an independent predictor of the variance of the PA level. RESULTS: A total of 499 postpartum women were divided into the PPF group (43%), who self-reported fatigue, and the non-PPF group (57%), who self-reported no fatigue. There was a significant difference in the median of vigorous PA, and moderate PA which were significantly higher in the non-PPF group than in the PPF group. The women with PPF reported less engagement in walking and a longer sitting duration than the women without PPF. High fatigue severity was associated with lower moderate PA (ß = -10.90; p = .005; R2 = .21) and vigorous PA (ß = -04; p < .001; R2 = .13). These associations remained significant in the regression model after adjustment for the mother's depression score; age; number of children; body mass index (kg/m2); employment status; intake of vitamins B1 (thiamin), C, and D and of Omega-3; and walking metabolic equivalent. CONCLUSION: PPF may reduce the PA of postpartum women. Strategies targeting PPF may buffer its harmful impacts, and thus, improve postpartum women's health.

Telehealth Role During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned from Health Care Providers in Saudi Arabia.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was originally recognized in December 2019 as a case of lung infection in Wuhan, China. COVID-19 has affected the capability of health care experts to treat patients face to face. One initiative to improve the efficacy and convenience of patient care despite the physical distancing limitations has been the application of "virtual clinics" (VCs) as a treatment modality. This study was aimed to investigate the use of VCs as a tool of telehealth during the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study was conducted in the ambulatory care setting at King Abdullah Specialized Children Hospital in Riyadh. Respondents were selected from different groups of health care providers. The study was a hospital-based cross-sectional design using an electronic survey. Results: In total, 277 surveys were collected. Principal findings showed the deployment of VCs by 67.2% (n = 186) of providers. Among these providers, 54.3% were female, and only 18.8% of providers were aged >54 years. 98.1% of the respondents have started running VCs since the COVID-19 outbreak, with 47.2% of respondents running between 51 and 100 VCs per month, and the majority (74%) were spending 6-15 min per patient visit. Chronically ill patients constituted 57.7% of the patient's population served. Almost 95% of respondents used electronic prescriptions during their VCs. Most providers (98.1%) used the telephone/mobile as a means of communication with the patient during these VCs. A total of 75.5% of VCs were integrated with electronic health records such as appointment scheduling (77.9%), and 88.3% of the providers were satisfied with their VCs. The major opportunity seen by providers was reducing appointment waiting times (73.4%). The major success metric seen in VCs was increased patient satisfaction as reported by providers (67.9%). In contrast, the major challenge seen was the lack of face-to-face interaction and physical examination (86.8%). Conclusion: VCs are one way of centering the health system around the patient, but careful attention is needed to integrate these services with the current health care delivery system in place and ensure quality care to the patients.

Plastic microbeads: small yet mighty concerning.

The net use of plastic has increased and this augmentation in plastic usage results in ever- growing accumulation of plastic waste in our ecosystems. Regrettably, a portion of this waste is the microplastics including microbeads, which are tiny plastic particles <5 mm in diameter. Microbeads are used in our personal care products. Although, legislative ban of microbeads in some developed countries has proven effective, but many countries do not take any legal action. Hence, microbead-containing products are openly sold in international market and entered into the food chain and disturb it. In human beings and animals, plastic when ingested causes internal bleeding, abrasion, ulcers and blockage of the digestive tract. The present review highlighted the bioaccumulation of microbeads via the food chain and its adverse effect on environment health. Moreover, different scientific views and suggestions for eradication of the problem and present scenario of the use of microbeads in some Asian countries have also been discussed.

Prescribing safety in primary care: comparing the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia.

Most consultations in primary care end with a prescription for medication. As a result, the potential for error in prescriptions and the potential harm to patients must be carefully considered and action taken to increase the safety of patients in these situations. Policy makers and health professionals have an obligation to protect public health. This review aims to compare and critically assess the main policies, initiatives, and guidance that have been developed to improve the safety of prescribing in primary care in the United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia. The report also suggests particular areas of need that might be addressed to enhance the safety of prescribing in the 2 countries.