Search

AIMRC)/King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences/Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2College of Nursing, King Saud Bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Science (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Pharmaceutical Care Department, King Abdulaziz Medical City, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 4College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Science (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 5College of Medicine, Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud Islamic University (IMSIU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 6College of Pharmacy, King Saud Bin Abdul-Aziz University for Health Science (KSAU-HS), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 7College of Medicine, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia Correspondence: Mostafa A Abolfotouh, King Abdullah International Medical Research Center/ King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh/ Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, POB 22490, Riyadh, 11426, Saudi Arabia, Email [email protected] Background: This study aimed to determine the rate of telemedicine (TM) use and the levels of awareness, knowledge, attitude, and skills of TM among primary healthcare (PHC) providers. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 104 PHC providers were subjected to a validated AKAS scale via Survey Monkey. The tool consists of 4 parameters that users can respond to using a 4-point Likert scale to assess their awareness (12 statements), knowledge (11 statements), attitude (11 statements), and skills (13 statements) on TM. Total and percentage mean scores (PMS) were calculated for each parameter. Participants were categorized in each parameter into three categories: low (≤ 49% score), average (50– 70% score), and high (≥ 71% score) levels. The association of AKAS levels with personal characteristics and TM use was investigated. The significance was set at p< 0.05. Results: One-half of participants (51%) reported current use of TM, and two-thirds (63.5%) reported a high level of AKAS, with a PMS of 72.9± 14.7, 95% CI: 70.1– 75.7. There were significant associations between the following: years of experience and levels of knowledge (&KHgr;2LT = 6.77, p= 0.009) and skills (&KHgr;2LT = 4.85, p = 0.028), respectively; and total household income and levels of skills (&KHgr;2LT = 6.91, p= 0.009). The rate of TM use was significantly associated with awareness levels (&KHgr;2LT = 6.14, p = 0.013). Lack of training ranked as the first barrier (45.5%), followed by connection problems and tools' unavailability (35.1% each). The participants recommended providing TM training (41.1%) and stabilization of connection and networking signals (30.1%). Conclusion: Despite their high level of TM awareness, the rate of TM use by PHC providers is less than satisfactory. Establishing standardized TM training and supporting the network signals are recommended. A large-scale study on the impact of TM integration with PHC services is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The European Community Respiratory Health Survey (ECRHS) questionnaire has been widely used in epidemiological studies to quantify respiratory symptoms and screen for asthma, but there is no formally validated Arabic version. This study developed an Arabic ECRHS screening questionnaire, comprehensively evaluated its reliability and validity, and used it to estimate the population prevalence of respiratory symptoms and asthma in Saudi Arabia.Methods: The ECRHS screening questionnaire was adapted to Arabic through translation and back-translation by bilinguals with consultation to a professional committee and lay panel. Reliability and validity were evaluated in a prospective, cross-sectional convenience sample of adults (> 18 years) between January and July 2022 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A subgroup completed the questionnaire again three weeks later to assess test–retest reliability. All respiratory symptom-positive participants were invited for spirometry to diagnose asthma according to GINA criteria. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach's α coefficient, test–retest reliability with Cohen κ coefficients, and reliability by calculating the sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing asthma.Results: Of 2500 invited individuals, 1881 participated (75.2%). A total of 668 (35.5%) participants reported respiratory symptoms according to the ECRHS questionnaire, and 157/1881 (8.3%) had a current diagnosis of asthma on ECRHS questions. Cronbach's α coefficient for internal consistency was 0.831, "good" internal consistency. The test–retest reliability (n = 303) was "excellent" for all questions (Cohen's κ≥ 0.75). A total of 543 (81.3%) screening-positive participants underwent spirometry, of whom 278 (52%) were diagnosed with asthma according to GINA guidelines, an overall estimated prevalence of 14.8%. Most questions showed good-to-fair specificity and variable sensitivity for physician-diagnosed asthma.Conclusion: This Arabic version of the ECRHS screening questionnaire is conceptually similar to the English version, comprehensible, and reliable. Many asthma cases remain hidden and undiagnosed. In addition to utility in epidemiological studies, the ECRHS screening questionnaire might be a simple, quick, and useful tool for asthma case finding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is in the midst of a diabetes mellitus (DM) epidemic whose origins can be traced to (a) the widespread adoption of the Western diet that is high in sugar, (b) an increase in sedentary activity, and (c) ignorance of the importance of DM. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to quantify various aspects of (a) knowledge, (b) attitudes, and (c) practice relating to DM. Methods: The three research questions addressed in this study were: (1) Is there any significant relationship between attitudes to DM and practices related to DM? (2) Is there any significant relationship between knowledge of DM and practices related to DM? (3) Is there any significant relationship between knowledge of DM and attitudes to DM? Separate surveys for each question collected data from a representative sample of 1,067 adult both male and female Saudis from Riyadh who have not been diagnosed with DM. Results: Data analysis of the data from the study indicated that for each of the three research questions, the null hypothesis could not be rejected, indicating that none of the relationships were statistically significant. Conclusion: The absence of significance for each of the findings has important implications, including (a) the possibility that many Saudis incorrectly believe themselves to be unsusceptible to DM and (b) the high prevalence of DM-causing behaviors in the Saudi population. These two implications should be of particular concern to public health authorities and health educators in Saudi Arabia, who may need to work more diligently to educate non-DM-diagnosed Saudis on their vulnerability to DM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]