Women's Perceptions and Knowledge Toward Episiotomy in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION: Episiotomy, despite being one of the most common interventions during childbirth, carries significant risks and uncertain benefits. Previous global studies highlight varying awareness levels and practices, with decreasing episiotomy rates attributed to increased knowledge. This study aims to assess women's knowledge to enhance intrapartum decision-making and communication between patients and obstetricians, ultimately improving maternal outcomes in the region. METHODOLOGY:  The study was a cross-section design. It was conducted through an online survey that was distributed by different social media platforms (Twitter, WhatsApp, and Telegram) from February 2023 to January 2024. It included women living in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia, who were 15 years old or older. Data was analyzed using the SPSS program (IBM, Chicago, Illinois, USA). RESULTS: Among the 402 participants, 62.7% demonstrated awareness of episiotomy, with 94.0% accurately identifying it as a surgical cutting with scissors. About 82.5% acknowledged that not all women require episiotomies, while 48.8% recognized the necessity of anesthesia before the procedure. Understanding the indications for episiotomy varied, with facilitating and accelerating childbirth (64.3%) and dealing with a large baby (62.3%) being the most recognized reasons. Impressively, 90.5% believed that there are methods to avoid perineal cutting, with knowing the correct mechanism for pushing during childbirth (69.4%) and exercise (54.4%) being the most acknowledged preventive measures. Regarding post-cutting care, antibiotics (61.5%) were identified as essential, followed by analgesia (52.8%) and laxatives (48.8%). CONCLUSION: The study reveals a notable awareness among participants, with a majority demonstrating a solid understanding of the procedure, its indications, and post-procedure care. It identified specific knowledge gaps, such as the need for anesthesia awareness and divergent beliefs about post-episiotomy care practices.

Quality of Life of Primary Caregivers of Children With Cerebral Palsy From a Family Perspective.

BACKGROUND: Cerebral palsy is a heterogeneous group of permanent non-progressive disorders affecting the development of movement and posture, varying in severity, interfering with daily activity, and associated with multiple comorbidities. Previous studies in different regions of Saudi Arabia have shown links between caregivers' mental health and children's well-being. However, the lack of such research in the Tabuk region necessitates the development of a new survey to assess caregivers' quality of life in this specific area. METHODOLOGY: This was a cross-sectional study, conducted during 2022-2023. It included the caregivers of Saudi children with cerebral palsy in the Tabuk region. Data was collected using an online questionnaire and was analyzed using the SPSS program (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). RESULTS: The study included 63 participants. Mothers (50.8%) and fathers (46.0%) were the primary caregivers. The comorbidities of cerebral palsy children like seizures (28.6%) and learning difficulties (19.0%) were prevalent for cerebral palsy children. Around 20.6% of participants received home health care. In terms of family quality of life, the majority expressed satisfaction with family interaction, parenting, and emotional well-being, although mixed feelings were observed. CONCLUSION: The majority of caregivers reported satisfaction in various domains of family quality of life, particularly in family interaction and parenting. However, a notable percentage expressed dissatisfaction in some areas, highlighting the complex emotional and practical challenges faced by these caregivers.

Healthcare Providers' Perception and Practice Toward Anaphylaxis in Children in the Qassim Region of Saudi Arabia.

INTRODUCTION: Anaphylaxis is described as a severe allergic reaction, and prompt assistance is required by the patient to avoid any complications. The healthcare provider's knowledge plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of these cases. The aim of this study was to evaluate the knowledge among the primary healthcare providers working in the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia regarding the diagnosis and treatment of anaphylaxis. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the four different governments of the Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. The calculated sample size for the study was 119 primary healthcare providers. A self-administered questionnaire was devised to collect data regarding the diagnosis and treatment of anaphylaxis patients. RESULTS: Thirty-six (28.8%) out of 119 physicians were 25-30 years old, followed by 33 (26.4%) who were more than 40 years old; 53 (42.4%) and 47 (36.7%) had less than five and more than 10 years of experience, respectively. Age and experience were found to be significantly associated with knowledge about the diagnostic criterion (p=0.003 and p=0.000, respectively), while experience was significantly associated with the correct identification of signs and symptoms (p=0.031). CONCLUSION: Knowledge about the diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis patients among primary healthcare providers was poor. Physicians are required to be educated to increase their level of knowledge to promptly diagnose and treat anaphylaxis cases.

Primary Healthcare Center's Healthcare Providers' Perception and Practice Toward Pediatric Cow's Milk Allergy in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Cow's milk allergy (CMA) typically first manifests in the first year of life, and it is the most challenging food allergy to detect since the clinical symptoms can vary significantly in both types and severity. This study is carried out to evaluate the level of knowledge and practice of healthcare providers (HCPs) in the Qassim Region regarding CMA. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: This is a cross-sectional study conducted among HCPs in the Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among HCPs using face-to-face interviews compromising four governorates of Qassim such as Buraydah, Unaizah, AlRass, and Albukairyah. The questionnaire includes socio-demographic characteristics and questions to assess the knowledge and practice of HCPs regarding CMA. RESULTS: Among 124 HCPs, 29% were aged between 25 and 30 years, 50.8% were males and 49.2% were females. Over three-quarters (77.4%) were categorized as having poor knowledge levels, while poor practice was also prevalent (83.1%). Factors associated with increased knowledge and practice were being non-Saudi, being a consultant/specialist, and having more than 10 years of experience. There was a significant positive correlation between knowledge and practice scores (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: The knowledge and practice of HCPs regarding CMA were insufficient. Non-Saudi consultants/specialists with more years of experience tend to be more knowledgeable and have better skills in managing the disease. Further longitudinal studies are required to establish the level of knowledge and practices toward CMA.

Relationship Between Asthma and Headache Attacks in the Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Headaches are a common complaint among asthma patients. However, there is no study to assess the relationship between asthma and headaches or to assess the prevalence of headaches among asthma patients in Saudi Arabia. We aim to study the relationship between asthma and headaches and also to assess the prevalence of headaches among asthma patients. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 528 asthmatic patients. Participants were selected through non-probability sampling from the system of four hospitals (King Fahad Specialist Hospital, King Saud Hospital, Buraidah Central Hospital, and Qassim University Hospital). The duration of our study was one year from 11 September 2022 to 14 May 2023. Data collection was performed by using a pre-tested and self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed through IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 24 (Released 2016; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States) by using the chi-square test to assess the relationship between the qualitative variables and independent t-test and ANOVA for comparing the quantitative variables with a significant level set at p-value < 0.05. RESULTS: Five hundred and twenty-eight asthmatics were studied for demographics, asthma management, and headaches. Most of the patients were male, married, and university-educated. Sixty-one percent had uncontrolled asthma, and 47.3 percent of individuals had headaches, mostly migraines. Uncontrolled asthma was linked to greater headache prevalence. Gender, educational level, and headache type did not affect headache prevalence in demographic and asthma control subgroups. Co-occurring asthma and migraines may benefit from asthma control and treatment. CONCLUSION:  The research emphasizes the significant frequency of uncontrolled asthma and headaches among asthmatic patients. The association between asthma control and headache prevalence was statistically significant, highlighting the necessity for appropriate management and treatment techniques for both disorders. These findings have significant implications for health care providers and politicians seeking to improve the quality of life for those with asthma and co-occurring headaches.

Intramuscular Versus Intravenous Treatment of Status Epilepticus: A Systematic Review.

Status epilepticus is a neurological emergency associated with high morbidity and mortality with fatal outcomes if not treated well. The goal of this study was to compare the intramuscular and intravenous treatment of individuals with status epilepticus. A search was performed on Scopus, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases for articles published in the English language in peer-reviewed publications up to March 1, 2023. Studies were included if the treatment of status epileptics was compared either directly or indirectly between intramuscular and intravenous methods. In addition, relevant papers were manually screened for in the reference lists of the included studies. Non-duplicate articles were identified. Finally, five articles were included in the analysis, of which four were randomized controlled trials and one was a retrospective cohort study. The intramuscular midazolam group's time until the first seizure stopped was significantly shorter than the intravenous diazepam group's time (7.8 versus 11.2 minutes, respectively; p = 0.047). Moreover, the percentage of patients admitted was significantly lower in the intramuscular group than in the intravenous group (p = 0.01), but the lengths of stay in the intensive care unit and the hospital did not differ significantly between the groups. Regarding seizure recurrence, the intramuscular group had fewer incidences of recurrent seizures. Finally, there were no appreciable differences in safety outcomes between the two treatment arms. During the analysis, different outcomes reported after the use of intramuscular and intravenous treatments in managing patients with status epilepticus were categorized. This categorization led to a clear view of the efficacy and safety of intramuscular versus intravenous treatments in managing status epilepticus patients. The information at hand indicates that intramuscular therapy is just as successful as intravenous therapy in treating people with status epilepticus. The availability, adverse effect profile, logistics of administration, cost, and whether it is included in hospital formularies are some of the factors to be taken into consideration when choosing the drug administration technique.

Parents' Knowledge and Perception Toward Short Stature in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction Short stature is a common reason for referral to pediatric endocrinologists. A Saudi study highlights significant short stature prevalence, with parents exhibiting varied knowledge levels. Common normal variants of short stature are familial short stature, constitutional, and idiopathic short stature. Pathologic causes of short stature include growth hormone deficiency, genetic disorders, and chronic diseases. Parents' knowledge plays an important role in the diagnosis and early intervention of this condition. Insufficient studies prompt the authors to conduct a novel survey assessing Saudi parents' knowledge and perceptions of short stature, filling a research gap. Methodology This is a cross-sectional study conducted among Saudi Parents in five different regions of Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among parents via an online survey. The questionnaire includes sociodemographic characteristics and questions to assess the knowledge and perception regarding short stature. Non-probability sampling targets parents living in Saudi Arabia. Data is analyzed by SPSS version 29 (IBM Inc., Armonk, New York). Results Our study on Saudi parents' knowledge of short stature reveals diverse awareness levels. While genetic causes are widely recognized in (71.6%; N=245) of parents (N=352), awareness drops for factors like low birth weight (23.9%; N=82) total of (N=352). Parents show uncertainty in recognizing short stature (51.4%; N=352) and varied beliefs on growth cessation. A majority (65.6%; N=231) of parents (N=352) prefer early intervention, with 41.5% (N=146) of parents (N=352) recognizing growth hormone therapy. Sociodemographic factors influence knowledge scores, with higher scores in males (21.03) and Central region residents (22.03; p<0.001). Notably, 83.4% (N=248) of parents (N=352) acknowledge psychological complications.  Conclusion Our study highlights varied awareness among parents regarding short stature, emphasizing genetic causes but demonstrating gaps in recognizing certain factors. Sociodemographic factors significantly influence knowledge scores. Psychological complications are widely acknowledged.