Headache Characteristics and Risk Factors Among Healthcare Providers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction Headache is a considerable factor in decreased productivity and work efficiency. This study aims to measure the characteristics of headaches and the risk factors among healthcare providers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. Methods This cross-sectional study included 353 healthcare providers from Al-Alhsa, Saudi Arabia. An online questionnaire was conducted to assess the demographic and occupational characteristics, headaches, numerous factors such as smoking, caffeine intake, physical activity, and medical conditions to determine their associations with headaches, as well as the impact of headaches on productivity. Results Among participants who reported headaches, 15.6% and 4.5% had been previously diagnosed with tension headaches and migraines, respectively. The mean duration of headaches was 7.09±18.16 hours; 38.5% of headaches were throbbing in nature, while 61.5% were pressing. The headache was on one side in 51.6% and accompanied by nausea and vomiting in 41.1% and 24.1%, respectively. Moreover, 53% and 41.9% experienced worsening of headaches by exercise and light, respectively. Tension headaches occurred more in older healthcare providers (P <0.05) and those who reported working night shifts (P=0.002). Healthcare providers with tension headaches reported having an intrusive leader and violence at work (P=0.038 and P=0.013, respectively). Caffeine consumption, emotional stress, and using oral contraceptive pills (OCP) were significantly correlated with migraine (P=0.023, P=0.017, and P=0.004, respectively). The reported headache affected the productivity of 62.59% of individuals. Conclusions Headache is common among healthcare providers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The study indicates that tension headache is associated with aging, night shifts, having an intrusive leader, and violence at work. In contrast, migraine is correlated with caffeine consumption, emotional stress, and OCP use. The productivity of healthcare providers is affected negatively by headaches.

Knowledge of Epilepsy and Seizure First Aid Among Teachers in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Epilepsy is one of the most common neurological disorders among patients, with a high prevalence in adults and children in Saudi Arabia. It can have a negative impact on a child's health, behavior, and academic performance, as well as their mental health. As a seizure attack can happen in school and the teachers will be the first health providers, preventing complications and ensuring student performance, development of social skills, and future employment can be significantly impacted by a teacher's awareness and attitudes towards epilepsy. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, targeting teachers in schools of all educational levels using a self-administrated validated questionnaire in Arabic. A total of 423 teachers fulfilling the inclusion criteria were included. Teachers' ages ranged from 18 to more than 50 years with mean age of 42.6 ± 9.3 years old. Exactly 261 (61.7%) teachers were females and 400 (94.6%) were Saudi. RESULTS: We defined acceptable level of awareness as the ability to recognize seizure phenomena (if they have witnessed one before) as a medical neurological problem (as opposed to attributing it to religious and/or superstitious beliefs, etc.) with ability to respond promptly with proper first aid required when encountering a seizure (turn on one side, avoid placing items in mouth, etc). Exactly 163 (38.5%) had good overall knowledge level while 260 (61.5%) had poor knowledge regarding epilepsy. CONCLUSION: Our research found that teachers have poor knowledge about epilepsy, wherein 38.5% had good overall knowledge level while 61.5% had poor knowledge regarding epilepsy. However, only a 9.2% had first-aid training, which suggests that knowledge and practice of epilepsy first aid needs to be improved via public awareness campaigns and first-aid training courses in schools.

Examining the Impact of Puberty on Primary Headache Disorders in Female Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Introduction and aim Headaches are one of the most prevalent childhood disorders. Primary and secondary headaches are the two types of headaches affecting kids and teenagers. The three most typical primary headache forms are tension-type headaches (TTH), migraine, and cluster headaches. This study sought to determine the relationship between puberty and types of headaches. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted from May 18 to July 31, among female schoolchildren aged between eight and 15 years in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Respondents were recruited through face-to-face interviews. A self-administered questionnaire was utilized, mainly consisting of demographic data and questions related to diagnosing and managing the impact of puberty in girls on the prevalence of primary headache disorder. Results In total, 481 female schoolchildren were interviewed, mostly between 13 and 15 years old (65.9%). Last year prevalence of headaches was 65.5%, with a significant difference among those who lived in Dhahran (p=0.001) and those with a family history of headaches (p<0.001). The most common type of headache was frequent TTH (16.4%) and chronic TTH (16%). Chronic TTH (p<0.001), frequent TTH (p<0.001), and migraine without aura (p=0.005) were significantly more common among the older age groups.  Conclusion There was a high prevalence of headaches among female schoolchildren, with frequent TTH and chronic TTH being the most common. Furthermore, increasing age was associated with an increasing risk for chronic TTH, frequent TTH, and migraine headaches without aura. More epidemiological studies are necessary to determine the underlying causes of headaches among schoolchildren.