Menstrual Changes Following COVID-19 Vaccination: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background and Objectives: Menstrual changes, including altered cycle length and bleeding patterns, have been reported following COVID-19 vaccination. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and types of menstrual changes occurring after COVID-19 vaccination among female students and staff at a university in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among women aged 18-39 years who received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. Eligible participants, including university students and staff, were recruited between May 2022 and November 2022. Participants completed a questionnaire detailing their sociodemographic characteristics, general medical and reproductive history, and menstrual characteristics before and after vaccination. The prevalence of various menstrual changes (cycle length, bleeding days, flow, and mid-cycle spotting) was calculated. The demographic factors associated with menstrual changes were analyzed using chi-squared tests. Results: The 472 included participants had a mean age of 20.9 years, and 95.3% were unmarried. Changes in menstrual cycle characteristics after COVID-19 vaccination were reported by 54.7% of respondents overall. The most common change was in cycle length, followed by the number of menstruation days and bleeding flow. Menstrual changes were not associated with age, BMI, occupation, marital status, or medical history. Changes in intermenstrual bleeding were more frequently reported after the third dose of the Pfizer vaccine compared to the Moderna vaccine (p = 0.014). Conclusions: More than half of the recruited female students and staff reported menstrual changes following COVID-19 vaccination, with altered cycle length being the most common. The potential underlying mechanisms and implications of these menstrual alterations require further investigation. These findings provide evidence of the menstrual side effects of COVID-19 vaccines among women in Saudi Arabia.

Dissuasive cigarettes as a tobacco control measure: a scoping review.

OBJECTIVE: The aim was to identify and review the research literature on dissuasive cigarettes, including key concepts, types, sources of evidence and research gaps. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science databases were searched up to January 2023 with no language or date restrictions. All study designs were included. Reference lists of the identified studies were manually searched. Studies on tobacco products other than cigarettes or on external cigarette packaging alone were excluded. STUDY SELECTION: Two reviewers screened titles and abstracts independently using eligibility criteria. The full text of the selected articles was subsequently screened independently by two reviewers to confirm eligibility. DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently extracted data from all studies using data abstraction forms. Results were reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews checklist. DATA SYNTHESIS: We identified 24 original studies, 3 review articles and 4 commentary articles. Research on dissuasive cigarettes was reported from Australia, New Zealand, Europe and North America. We presented results in four themes: the concept of dissuasive cigarettes; approaches and types; potential benefits, barriers and concerns; and current research gaps. CONCLUSIONS: Dissuasive cigarettes represent a promising strategy that could be used in tobacco control. Parallel implementation with plain packaging would be feasible and synergistic.

Lifestyle factors and quality of life among primary health care physicians in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Physicians are considered to be a high-risk population for a poor quality of life (QoL), but few studies of lifestyle factors include the QoL among them. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between lifestyle factors and a positive QoL among primary health care (PHC) physicians. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted at 20 primary healthcare centers in Madinah, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was used, including sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle data, and the short version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life questionnaire. Appropriate statistical analyses were used, including multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: The response rate was 85.7% (72/84) physicians. The mean score of the total QoL and its four studied domains (physical, psychological, social, and environmental) was relatively high, with no statistically significant difference between the consultants and general practitioners. The positive total QoL in this study was significantly lower among physicians with obesity (OR = 0.55, 95%CI = 0.25-0.97), those using butter and animal fat for cooking (OR = 0.10, 95%CI = 0.02-0.81), and those eating meals out > 3 times per week (OR = 0.30, 95%CI = 0.10-0.90). Although non-significant, vegetable consumption and a high level of physical activity were associated with a positive QoL, with adjusted ORs of 2.5 (95%CI = 0.82-7.58) and 1.5 (95%CI = 0.33-6.65), respectively. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate a relatively good QoL among the participating physicians; however, a lower QoL was associated with unhealthy lifestyle factors. QoL was significantly associated with obesity, cooking practices, and eating meals from restaurants.

Adaptation and validation of the Arabic version of self-efficacy scale for mammography. A report on psychometric properties.

OBJECTIVES: To culturally adapt and validate a mammography-specific self-efficacy (MSSE) scale into Arabic for the Saudi Arabian context. Methods: A methodological study aimed at tool translation and adaptation conducted in primary healthcare centers in Al Madinah, Saudi Arabia between March 2016 and May 2016. The MSSE scale was translated and adapted into Arabic using standard procedures. Content and face validity were investigated. Confirmatory factor analysis and reliability analysis were used to determine the scale's psychometric properties. Results:  The scale showed a good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.88). The confirmatory factor analysis supported the scale's single-factor structure and the goodness-of-fit indices confirmed the model's good fit (comparative fit index=0.961, Tucker-Lewis index=0.943, root-mean-square error of approximation=0.076, and standardized root-mean-square residual=0.045). Women who had a mammogram in the last 2 years scored significantly higher on the scale (39±6.2) than women who had never received a mammogram (35.88±7.2; p=0.009). Conclusion: The study confirmed that the scale's Arabic version has good psychometric properties, using reliability analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and extreme groups validation. The scale is likely to be useful for evaluating interventional studies aimed at improving mammography screening participation rates.

Association between soft drinks consumption and asthma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To carry out meta-analysis and systematic review on the association between soft drinks consumption and asthma prevalence among adults and children. DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis of observational research. DATA SOURCES: Medline, Scopus, ISI Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched up to December 2018. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included observational studies investigating the association between soft drinks consumption (including maternal consumption during pregnancy) and asthma or wheeze. DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Data were extracted by one author and reviewed independently by two other authors. The most adjusted estimate from each original study was used in the meta-analysis. Meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects model. The quality of studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale and heterogeneity was evaluated using I2 statistic. RESULTS: Of 725 publications originally identified, 19 were included in this systematic review, including 3 cohort studies and 16 cross-sectional studies. Ten articles reported on children up to 18 years, 5 articles on adults (>18 years) and 2 articles on prenatal exposure. In total, 468 836 participants were included, with more than 50 000 asthma cases. Soft drinks consumption was associated with significantly increased odds of asthma in both adults (OR=1.37; 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.52) and children (OR=1.14; 95% CI, 1.06 to 1.21). Prenatal exposure had marginally statistically significant association (OR=1.11; 95% CI, 1.00 to 1.23) with asthma in children. In subgroup analysis for childhood exposure, the association persists for sugar-sweetened soft drinks but not for carbonated drinks. CONCLUSION: Our findings show a positive association between soft drinks consumption and asthma prevalence, mostly from cross-sectional studies. Therefore, more longitudinal research is required to establish causality.

Prevalence and predictors of hepatitis B in Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia: a population-based seroprevalence study.

INTRODUCTION: Despite solid preventive strategies to reduce the risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, recent reports about its prevalence and predictors are lacking in several Saudi cities at the community level. This study aimed to assess the seroprevalence of HBV and to identify the most important predictors among the Saudi population in Jeddah city, Saudi Arabia. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 5,584 Saudi people attending primary health-care centers in Jeddah city during 2012/2013. Sociodemographic and hepatitis-related data were collected. HBV was diagnosed by ELISA test. The seroprevalence of HBV was estimated, and appropriate statistical analyses were performed, including univariate and multivariable regression analyses. RESULTS: The seroprevalence of HBV was 2.2% (95% CI = 1.82-2.58) in the studied participants. The prevalence was higher among non-governmental workers (3.5%), male participants (3.4%) and those aged ≥ 25 years (2.4%). The most important predictors for increasing the risk of HBV in this study were HBV contacts, male sex, history of dental procedures and blood transfusion. The significant positive risks associated with these predictors were 3.3, 2.5, 2.0 and 1.65, respectively. HBV vaccination, on the other hand, was associated with a significant risk reduction of 88% (OR = 0.12; 95% CI = 0.03-0.51). CONCLUSIONS: The seroprevalence of HBV was relatively low among the Saudi population in Jeddah city reflecting the actions taken by health authorities to control HBV infection. However, more efforts, particularly in relation to health education programmes, strict control of blood banks and dental clinics, are still needed.

Intention to Quit Smoking among Intermediate and Secondary School Students in Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Smoking is one of the most preventable causes of disease and death, including cancer, and quitting at an early age can reduce smoking-related morbidity and mortality. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence and to identify factors affecting the "intention to quit" among intermediate and secondary school current cigarette smoker students in Al Madinah city, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study cohort included 307 current smoker students in a school-based survey. The intention to quit and its related determinants were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. RESULTS: More than half of the participants were ≥17 years, and of male gender (54.7%, 77.9% respectively). An intention to quit smoking was reported in 71.7% of participants, and was been significantly associated with: male gender (OR=3.25, 95% CI=1.65-6.41): age at 1st trial of smoking. 10-15 years (OR=2.11, 95% CI=1.03-4.32) along with age of ≥15 years (OR=3.10, 95% CI=1.20-7.88); days of smoking in the past 30 days (days<10 (OR=2.31, 95% CI=1.23-4.35) along with days ranging from 10-19 days (OR= 3.42, 95% CI=1.18-9.91); knowing that smoking is hazardous to health (OR=3.04, 95% CI=1.42-6.47); and finally, supporting smoking bans in public places (OR=1.89, 95% CI=1.11-3.25). CONCLUSIONS: A substantial number of participants were willing to quit smoking. Effective interventions focusing on providing information about the hazards of smoking and prohibiting smoking in public places could help initiate the intention to quit among youth smokers.