Evaluation of clinical knowledge and perceptions about the development of thyroid cancer-An observational study of healthcare undergraduates in Saudi Arabia

Understanding migraine in Saudi society: An assessment of public knowledge and attitudes: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess the knowledge and perceptions of the public toward migraine in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey assessed the knowledge and perceptions of migraine among Saudi Arabian individuals. The study was conducted over three months in 2023 (1st of June 2023 to 31st of August 2023) using a prevalidated online questionnaire divided into four sections.

RESULTS

A total of 1,975 adults aged between 18 and 64 completed the web-based survey. Of these, over half were male (n = 1,268; 64.2%). The main causes of migraine identified by the participants were genetic disease (n = 540, 27.3%), followed by physical disease (n = 341, 17.3%), head trauma (n = 274, 13.9%), and psychiatric disease (n = 157, 7.9%). The main symptoms identified by the participants were photophobia (21%), followed by inability to control urine (14.1%), vomiting and nausea (13.8%), and vision loss (8.3%). The majority of the participants in this study had a good knowledge of migraines, while 49% had poor knowledge. The migraine knowledge score was significantly associated with the participants' gender (p = 0.002), age (p = 0.0001), educational level (p = 0.001), employment status (p = 0.001), monthly income (p = 0.0001), region (p = 0.0001), and history of migraine (p = 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

Although one-third of the participants exhibiting good knowledge, deficiencies existed in certain clinical aspects, emphasizing the need for targeted educational interventions to enhance public awareness and understanding of migraines.

Shared genetic links between hypothyroidism and psychiatric disorders: evidence from a comprehensive genetic analysis

Background

Epidemiologic studies have suggested co-morbidity between hypothyroidism and psychiatric disorders. However, the shared genetic etiology and causal relationship between them remain currently unclear.

Methods

We assessed the genetic correlations between hypothyroidism and psychiatric disorders [anxiety disorders (ANX), schizophrenia (SCZ), major depressive disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BIP)] using summary association statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Two disease-associated pleiotropic risk loci and genes were identified, and pathway enrichment, tissue enrichment, and other analyses were performed to determine their specific functions. Furthermore, we explored the causal relationship between them through Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Results

We found significant genetic correlations between hypothyroidism with ANX, SCZ, and MDD, both in the Linkage disequilibrium score regression (LDSC) approach and the high-definition likelihood (HDL) approach. Meanwhile, the strongest correlation was observed between hypothyroidism and MDD (LDSC: rg=0.264, P=7.35×10-12; HDL: rg=0.304, P=4.14×10-17). We also determined a significant genetic correlation between MDD with free thyroxine (FT4) and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels. A total of 30 pleiotropic risk loci were identified between hypothyroidism and psychiatric disorders, of which the 15q14 locus was identified in both ANX and SCZ (P values are 6.59×10-11 and 2.10×10-12, respectively) and the 6p22.1 locus was identified in both MDD and SCZ (P values are 1.05×10-8 and 5.75×10-14, respectively). Sixteen pleiotropic risk loci were identified between MDD and indicators of thyroid function, of which, four loci associated with MDD (1p32.3, 6p22.1, 10q21.1, 11q13.4) were identified in both FT4 normal level and Hypothyroidism. Further, 79 pleiotropic genes were identified using Magma gene analysis (P<0.05/18776 = 2.66×10-6). Tissue-specific enrichment analysis revealed that these genes were highly enriched into six brain-related tissues. The pathway analysis mainly involved nucleosome assembly and lipoprotein particles. Finally, our two-sample MR analysis showed a significant causal effect of MDD on the increased risk of hypothyroidism, and BIP may reduce TSH normal levels.

Conclusions

Our findings not only provided evidence of a shared genetic etiology between hypothyroidism and psychiatric disorders, but also provided insights into the causal relationships and biological mechanisms that underlie their relationship. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the pleiotropy between hypothyroidism and psychiatric disorders, while having important implications for intervention and treatment goals for these disorders.

Assessment of the Mental, Social, and Educational Impact of the COVID-19 Quarantine and Predictors: A Survey-Based- Study from Saudi Parents

Background

Quarantine has had a powerful effect on parents and children in Saudi Arabia in different aspects, namely, educational, mental, and social. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the mental, social, and educational impact of the COVID-19 Quarantine and its predictors among Saudi parents.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was carried out over 6 months in 2020 using structured questionnaires with 42 items, detailing pre-quarantine assistance with childcare, followed by mental, educational, and social challenges answered using a 5-point Likert scale and the factors affecting their children's learning at home during the COVID-19 quarantine. The data was analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27.

Results

A response rate of 79.5% (n=831) was obtained. Mental challenges were experienced the most, and 68.1% of the parents worried about their children being infected with COVID-19. This was followed by the educational challenges related to their children's online learning, with 61.2% of the parents attributing it to their children's low motivation towards online learning. The mean score for the education domain was 31.14(±7.02). Similarly, the mean score for the mental impact and social impact was 33.13(±7.82) and 12.81(±2.98). The results of the multiple linear regression analysis revealed participants' gender was found significantly associated with the mean score of the educational domain (p = 0.010).

Conclusion

Social challenges were experienced the least, and parents confirmed that quarantine had helped them strengthen their family relations. Most participants agreed that they had fun spending time with both their partners and children. It is recommended to implement online remote activities and services that assist students and professionals in addressing pandemic concerns, such as virtual group exercise, virtual movie nights, and virtual office hours.

Evaluation of clinical knowledge of drugs causing addiction and associated social determinants among male pharmacy and nursing students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - A Cross-Sectional study

Drug abuse is a rising psychological concept in many countries, and its use among individuals is increasing. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the Knowledge and demographic factors associated with drug abuse among male pharmacy and nursing students at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This study used a cross-sectional design targeting male entry-level pharmacy and nursing students in their first and second years of Bachelor of Nursing and Doctor of Pharmacy courses. Of them, 85.3 % of the pharmacy and 75.3 % of nursing students thought that cocaine causes drug addiction, followed by heroin (pharmacy 80.7 %; nursing students 71 %), and morphine (pharmacy 75.2 %; nursing students 59.1 %). In this study, 52 % (n = 105) claimed low awareness, whereas 48 % (n = 97) indicated good understanding regarding drug addictions. Furthermore, the mean knowledge score among pharmacy students was higher (7.073 ± 2.570) in comparison to nursing (5.806 ± 2.494) (t = 3.540; p = 0. 0001). In addition, the father's occupation was found to be significantly associated with the mean knowledge score of drug addiction (F = 2.667; p = 0.034). According to the findings, 52 % of male students had insufficient knowledge about drugs that cause addiction. Age, course of study, and father's occupation all had a substantial impact on knowledge scores. The knowledge score on the complications of addictive substances was not significantly associated with the characteristics of the students (p = 0.05). As a result, we advocate for the introduction of educational initiatives that educate students about the harmful consequences of drug addiction and how to avoid issues.

Community pharmacists awareness, perceptions, and opinions of artificial intelligence: A cross-sectional study in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Several revolutions are currently taking place in the healthcare industry to provide accurate, reliable, and valid healthcare to patients. Among these is artificial intelligence (AI).

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the CP's awareness, perceptions, and opinions of AI in health care among community pharmacists.

METHODS

This cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted over 3 months in 2023 using structured prevalidated 34 items questionnaires.

RESULTS

In this study, 94.5% (n= 258) of the CPs were aware of AI, yet 25.6% (n= 70) believed that AI would eventually replace healthcare professionals. However, 63.4% (n= 173) of the CPs concurred that AI is a technology that supports healthcare workers. 12.8% of the CPs believed that there is a risk of losing their jobs if AI is widely used in Saudi Arabia, but 68.9% (n= 188) of them considered that healthcare professionals will benefit from the extensive use of AI. Eighty-four percent of CPs (n= 232) agreed or strongly agreed that AI decreases drug mistakes in clinical practice. Similarly, 86% of the CPs (n= 235) concurred that AI makes it easier for patients to access the service. In contrast, almost 58% of the CPs (n= 232) agreed that AI makes it easier for healthcare professionals to acquire information, and 87.9% of the CPs (n= 240) said that AI helps them make better decisions.

CONCLUSION

This study concluded that most of the CPs were aware of AI and agreed that AI is a tool that helps healthcare professionals. In addition, the majority of the CPs thought that AI adoption in healthcare practice will benefit healthcare practitioners.

Validity and reliability of the Arabic version of knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward COVID-19 preventative behaviors (KAP COVID-19)

Background

Even though the innovation of COVID-19 vaccination effectively protects against the virus, practicing preventative behaviors is still essential. However, public adherence to preventive behaviors relies mainly on the individuals' knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) toward COVID-19 preventative behaviors. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate these aspects. Nevertheless, there is no validated scale that assesses KAP toward COVID-19 preventative behaviors. To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of knowledge, attitudes, and practices toward coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) preventative behaviors.

Methods

A quantitative descriptive cross-sectional design was used to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of KAP through specific stages: item development, face, content, convergent and construct validity evaluation, and internal consistency. Data were collected online through "google forms" from June 2020 to July 2020. Both exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used to assess the construct validity.

Results

A total of 1,363 participants completed the scale. The overall Cronbach's alpha was 0.83, indicating good internal consistency. Exploratory factor analysis supported structural validity for all the scale items with KMO 0.78, 0.60, and 0.81, respectively, and Bartlett's Test of Sphericity = (p < 0.05). Convergent validity was confirmed by a moderate correlation between the KAP scale items, knowledge ranging from r = 0.11 (p < 0.01) to r = 0.62 (p < 0.01), attitude ranging from r = 0.158 (p < 0.01) to r = 0.584 (p < 0.01), and practice ranging from r = 0.383 (p < 0.01) to r = 0.774 (p < 0.01).

Conclusion

The psychometric properties of the scale indicate that the KAP is a valid and reliable scale that can be utilized to evaluate the level of KAP toward COVID-19 preventative behaviors among the population in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Adults' Understanding and Views of Weight Management Practices and Obesity

Background and Objective

The rising prevalence of overweight and obesity presents a significant global challenge. This study aimed to investigate the understanding and views of weight management practices and obesity among Saudi adults.

Methodology

A cross-sectional online survey was conducted from October 2022 to January 2023 among adults residing in Saudi Arabia. Participants completed a self-administered 41-item questionnaire designed to assess their understanding and views regarding weight management practices and obesity.

Results

A total of 1066 participants completed the survey. Gender distribution showed a majority of males (55.7%). Age-wise, the majority fell below 51 years, with 37.7% (young) between 18-24, 32.7% (young adult) between 25-33, and 21.3% (adult) between 34-51. Employment was reported by one-third (n = 315) of respondents, while 22.0% (n = 234) had a history of chronic diseases. Furthermore, 77.3% (n = 824) engaged in regular physical activity.The study results revealed that participants' mean score for understanding obesity was 3.28 ± 2.37 (range 0-6), while the average views score was 28.08 ± 8.79 (range 0-34). Furthermore, females displayed a higher level of understanding compared to males. Employment status also played a significant role, with employed individuals having a better understanding of obesity than those who were unemployed. Moreover, participants with higher qualifications demonstrated a more comprehensive understanding of obesity compared to those with lower qualifications. Additionally, individuals with higher monthly income levels displayed a greater understanding of obesity compared to those with lower incomes. Lastly, participants who engaged in regular physical activity exhibited a higher level of understanding compared to those who were physically inactive.

Conclusion

The study indicates that factors such as being older, being female, being employed, having higher education and income, and engaging in regular physical activity are associated with increased understanding and favorable views regarding weight management practices and obesity.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice towards thyroid nodules and cancer among patients: a cross-sectional study

Aim

This study aimed to explore the knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) towards thyroid nodules (TN) and thyroid cancer (TC) among patients.

Subject and methods

This cross-sectional study enrolled patients with TN or TC at the Second Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China between September 2022 and February 2023. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to collect demographic information of the participants, and their knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards TN and TC.

Results

A total of 510 valid questionnaires were collected. Among the participants, 102 (20.00%) were male, and 197 (38.63%) had the diagnosis of TC. The knowledge, attitude and practice scores were 5.76 ± 3.09 (possible range: 0-12), 31.07 ± 2.73 (possible range: 9-45), and 18.97 ± 2.92 (possible range: 5-25), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression showed that age of above 50 years old (OR = 0.27, 95%CI: 0.12-0.64, p = 0.003), junior college or bachelor's degree and above (OR = 4.97, 95%CI: 1.74-14.20, p = 0.003), monthly income of 5,000-10,000 CNY (OR = 2.02, 95%CI: 1.09-3.74, p = 0.025) and > 10,000 CNY (OR = 5.67, 95%CI: 2.49-12.94, p < 0.001) were independently associated with knowledge. The good knowledge (OR = 3.87, 95%CI: 1.89-7.95, p < 0.001), high school or technical secondary school (OR = 0.52, 95%CI: 0.30-0.88, p = 0.016), and monthly income of 5,000-10,000 CNY (OR = 2.02, 95%CI: 1.13-3.63, p = 0.018) were independently associated with practice.

Conclusion

Patients demonstrated poor knowledge, moderate attitude, and proactive practice towards TN and TC.

Clinical Knowledge, Perceptions, and Communication Confidence Regarding the Development of Thyroid Cancer --A Cross-Sectional Study of Clinical Medical Students in Chongqing, Southwest China

Purpose

Medical students play an essential role in providing disease consultation for patients. Despite the rapid increase in thyroid disease, there are few data on how well Chinese medical students master the knowledge of thyroid diseases. This study aims to evaluate the clinical knowledge, perception, and clinical communication confidence of medical students on thyroid cancer (TC).

Patients and Methods

This cross-sectional study was carried out among medical students of Chongqing Medical University. An anonymous, self-administered questionnaire distributed from December 2022 to February 2023 included items on demographics and other information, the warning signs of cancer, perception regarding a person's chance of developing cancer, and clinical communication confidence. Descriptive analysis, difference analysis, and correlation analysis were carried out.

Results

A total of 226 medical students participated in the survey. Most students (n=191, 84.5%) had heard of TC, while only a few (n=10, 4.4%) regularly performed thyroid self-examination. One hundred and eighty-four students (81.4%) agreed that an unexplained lump or swelling could be a sign of cancer. There were significant differences in thyroid clinical knowledge in relation to gender (P<0.001), major (P=0.026), and thyroid disease (P=0.030). Clinical communication confidence showed significant differences in year of study (P=0.002), major (P=0.048), and graduate major (P<0.001). There was a correlation between clinical confidence and year of study (r=0.261, P<0.001).

Conclusion

Most medical students have sufficient clinical knowledge on TC prevention, but there are still misconceptions related to TC screening. In addition, medical students lack confidence in communicating with patients. Comprehensive communication training should be integrated into the medical curriculum and clinical activities should be initiated earlier.

Knowledge and awareness of warning signs about Lung cancer among Pharmacy and Nursing undergraduates in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - an observational study

Background: Cancer is becoming more common, regardless of gender or type. Cancer was determined to be the leading cause of death, with lung cancer (LC) patients having the highest rate of cancer-related deaths. The purpose of this study was to analyze undergraduates' knowledge and awareness of LC early warning signs in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: Between May and September 2022, a cross-sectional, prospective paper-based survey-type study was conducted among undergraduates (n=202) from the faculty of pharmacy and nursing at King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data was gathered from third and fourth-year undergraduates. The statistical package for social science (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, U.S.) was used to perform the analysis. Results: The mean age of the undergraduates was 22.47 ± 2.35(SD) years. Most of them were from nursing 54% (n=109), while 46% (n=93) belonged to a pharmacy. In terms of awareness of warning signs of lung cancer, 48.6% of the students believed that unexplained weight loss, followed by persistent chest infection (36.6%) and cough that does not go away easily (37.6%). Over 45.1 % of students opted that coughing up blood, pain during the cough (46.5%), and worsening or change in an existing cough (42.1%) were reported as a sign of LC. In this study, the overall good awareness score was 60(29.7%). The awareness was significantly associated with gender (p = 0.0001), the course of study (p=0.018), the educational level (p = 0.003), smoking cigarettes (p = 0.003), and chronic disease status (p = 0.0001). Conclusion: Undergraduates attending university in this study indicated various levels of awareness of LC symptoms. The undergraduate's educational background, study program, and gender all greatly influence their level of awareness. It is necessary to inform future medical professionals about this growing condition.

Thyroid Cancer Knowledge and Awareness in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Thyroid cancer incidence has been increasing worldwide over the last few decades. It is the most common endocrine cancer and is most common among females. The study contributes to filling the knowledge gap among Saudi people regarding thyroid cancer. Objectives This research aims to investigate the level of thyroid cancer knowledge and awareness in Saudi Arabia, identify potential knowledge gaps, and develop targeted strategies for enhancing public awareness and education. Methods A cross-sectional, voluntary online survey was conducted from 1st August 2023 to 1st October 2023 among residents living in Saudi Arabia over 18 years of age. The participants included were 2030 respondents. Data analysis was performed using RStudio (R version 4.3.0; R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). Results Among the participants, the majority were female (60.4%). A total of 49.7% of the individuals reported having a moderate to high level of knowledge about thyroid cancer. While 63.9% knew the association of a lump in the neck to thyroid cancer, 82.6% affirmed to consult a doctor upon discovering a lump, 72.1% knew that regular monitoring of neck lumps is crucial for early diagnosis and treatment of precancerous conditions, 38.7% were aware of females being prone to thyroid cancer, and 59.2% were aware of the link between lifestyle and increased risk. Higher awareness scores were positively associated with female gender, previously having thyroid function tests done, and previously undergoing a US scan of the thyroid. Conclusion In this study, Saudi individuals are reported to lack some aspects of knowledge and perception of thyroid cancer. This study emphasizes filling the existing knowledge gap in thyroid cancer awareness in the Saudi population.

Navigating Thyroid Dysfunction and Comorbidities Among University Students in Abbottabad, Pakistan - A Cross-Sectional Evaluation of Screening Tool for Thyroid Dysfunction

Background

Thyroid dysfunction has a direct role in diagnosing, and assessment and indicates the development of thyroid carcinoma. This study aimed to assess thyroid dysfunction through medical camps in different age and sex groups in students of Comsats University Abbottabad Pakistan.

Methods

In this study, a cross-sectional survey design was used. For data collection, a two-day medical camp was set in the Comsats University Abbottabad campus. The students were examined physically for symptoms of thyroid dysfunction using the survey questionnaire specifically designed for this study.

Results

The current research revealed that 78 out of 1032 students, or 7.6% of the population, had thyroid disease. Although 39.3% (=406) were found to have low risk, followed by 36.7% (n=379) had moderate risk and 23.9% (n=247) had high risk of thyroid dysfunction. Altogether, 6.1% (n=63) of the students had high blood pressure (BP), 3.2% (n=33) had high cholesterolemia, 3.4% (n=33) had angina, and 0.9% (n=9) had diabetes mellitus (DM). In relation, students who exhibit signs and symptoms that last longer than five weeks include 42.2% (n=435) who felt the need for excessive sleep, 35.3% (n=364) who felt tired, 36.8% (n=380) who had trouble concentrating and 30.1% (n=311) who had palpitations. The high risk of thyroid being seen predominantly in students between the ages of 15-20 years (31.2%, n=148), as opposed to other age groups (p=0.001). Similar to this, women having a higher risk of thyroid disease (26.5%) than men (22.8%) (p =0.001).

Conclusion

In conclusion, few students suffer with thyroid found to have high risk of thyroid disease. This method of questionnaire-based screening for thyroid dysfunction is cost-effective, with no additive risk of adverse effects from excessive screening, and could help in the early detection of thyroid and help avoid excess costs related to thyroid dysfunction and cancer screening.

Evaluation of Headache Trends among Undergraduate First Responders for Medical Emergencies at Saudi University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background and objective: Headache is more common among students and may be a crucial indication of mental health; it can have a detrimental impact if left untreated, especially on students, and may affect their academic performance. Thus, this study aimed to assess the headache trends among undergraduate first responders for medical emergencies at Saudi University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Method: A cross-sectional study was undertaken over three months in 2023 to analyze headache patterns among emergency medical services (EMS) students using prevalidated questionnaires. The data were collected via convenience sampling and processed with the IBM SPSS Statistics 26 program (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Results: The current findings show that the majority 90.6% (n = 164) of the participants had at least one episode of headache in the last week. With regard to the number of days students had a headache during the last week, 21.5% (n = 39) of them reported 2 days, while 18.8% (n = 34) reported 1 day only. About slightly less than half (48.6% (n = 88)) of students reported that the usual site of the headache was frontal, followed by temporal 27.1% (n = 49), and 23.3% (n = 42) reported orbital. When students were asked whether a headache aggravates their routine activity, 40.3% agreed with this statement, and 44.2% of students reported that a headache causes them to avoid their routine activity (reading writing, attending college). The majority of the students considered taking analgesics (60.8%), followed by sleeping (26.5%), caffeine (14.4%), and herbal and alternative remedies (7.7%) for the relief of headaches. Although headache episodes were significantly associated with routine activities (reading writing, attending college) (p = 0.018, t = 2.282) daily activities (walking, running) (p = 0.022, t = 2.307). The findings showed that fourth-year EMS students were found to have higher headache pain intensity scores compared to other students (p = 0.046). Similarly, the pain intensity was significantly higher among the students between 1-3 and >7 episodes of headaches (p = 0.001) Conclusion: The findings of this study revealed that Saudi emergency medical services students suffer from headaches. However, the current findings revealed variation in the headache pain intensity scores concerning the year of study.

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of community pharmacists toward the management of acne vulgaris in Saudi Arabia

Background and objectives

In Saudi Arabia, Acne vulgaris is a very predominant ailment and Pharmacists currently have standardized protocols at their disposal for the treatment of acne. Pharmacists often prescribe medications for minor cases of acne. Therefore, this study aimed to explore community pharmacists (CPs)' knowledge, attitudes, and practice toward acne management in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methods

An online cross-sectional study was conducted among CPs working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from January and April 2021, using a self-administered, questionnaire, was divided into four sections that collected information from the CP's Knowledge, attitudes, and practices and the management of acne vulgaris. The data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26 (SPSS).

Result

A total of 313 CPs were enrolled in the study who successfully returned the questionnaire. The mean score of knowledge on etiology, pathophysiology, and therapy for AV was 5.3 ± (SD = 1.5). However, the majority of CPs had a moderate level of knowledge (80.8%), followed by mild to moderate (12.8%). This study showed that CPs had an insufficient level of knowledge about ace management, about 6% of CPs have a high level of knowledge. Inadequate knowledge was revealed in their management practice, only 0.3% of CPs treated patients with acne on their own without a referral. In addition, CPs showed a positive attitude toward acne management.

Conclusion

There is a need to improve CPs' understanding of acne care and to contribute to participating in organized training sessions on the management of AV.

Assessment of Awareness, Perceptions, and Opinions towards Artificial Intelligence among Healthcare Students in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background and Objective: The role of the pharmacist in healthcare society is unique, since they are providers of health information and medication counseling to patients. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate Awareness, Perceptions, and Opinions towards Artificial intelligence (AI) among pharmacy undergraduate students at King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional, questionnaire-based study was conducted between December 2022 and January 2023 using online questionnaires. The data collection was carried out using convenience sampling methods among senior pharmacy students at the College of Pharmacy, King Saud University. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26 was used to analyze the data (SPSS). Results: A total of one hundred and fifty-seven pharmacy students completed the questionnaires. Of these, most of them (n = 118; 75.2%) were males. About 42%, (n = 65) were in their fourth year of study. Most of the students (n = 116; 73.9%) knew about AI. In addition, 69.4% (n = 109) of the students thought that AI is a tool that helps healthcare professionals (HCP). However, more than half 57.3% (n = 90) of the students were aware that AI would assist healthcare professionals in becoming better with the widespread use of AI. Furthermore, 75.1% of the students agreed that AI reduces errors in medical practice. The mean positive perception score was 29.8 (SD = 9.63; range-0-38). The mean score was significantly associated with age (p = 0.030), year of study (p = 0.040), and nationality (p = 0.013). The gender of the participants was found to have no significant association with the mean positive perception score (p = 0.916). Conclusions: Overall, pharmacy students showed good awareness of AI in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the majority of the students had positive perceptions about the concepts, benefits, and implementation of AI. Moreover, most students indicated that there is a need for more education and training in the field of AI. Consequently, early exposure to content related to AI in the curriculum of pharmacy is an important step to help in the wide use of these technologies in the graduates' future careers.

Thyroid Cancer Knowledge and Awareness Among Women in Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia

INTRODUCTION

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most prevalent endocrine cancer, and it has shown a rapid rise in incidence across the globe in recent decades. This study aimed to evaluate the level of knowledge about TC among women in the Makkah Region, Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted between 28 December 2022 and 20 January 2023 among women in the Makkah Region via a self-administrated online questionnaire using Google Forms. Our inclusion criteria were women aged 18 years and older from the Makkah Region, and we excluded healthcare professionals and women who declined to participate in the study. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS program.

RESULTS

The sample included 1219 participants. The majority (64%, n = 784) were 18 to 35. Of the participants, 362 (29.7%) had poor knowledge of TC, and only 94 (7.7%) possessed good knowledge. Forty-four percent of the participants (n = 541) believed that TC was incurable, and 86% (n = 1050) did not watch or participate in TC campaigns. Age, marital status, and family members or friends working in the medical field all significantly impacted the participants' knowledge scores.

CONCLUSION

According to our study, women in the Makkah Region in Saudi Arabia do not fully comprehend the risk factors and symptoms of TC or the diagnostic methods and treatment for it. The results emphasize the value of health campaigns focused on women-in public places and on social media platforms to increase awareness of TC.

Assessment of Headache Characteristics, Impact, and Managing Techniques among Pharmacy and Nursing Undergraduates-An Observational Study

Background and Objectives: Many different forms of headaches can change or impact daily activity and quality of life, which increases the financial burden on society over time. Undergraduates who get headaches may be absent from attending lectures, perform less well on their daily tasks and academic achievement, as well as struggle to build and maintain relationships with peers and mentors. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the headache-related characteristics and managing approaches among Saudi pharmacy and nursing students at a Saudi university, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: A survey questionnaire was administered in this cross-sectional study to participants at a Saudi university, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Participants included males. The sample size was calculated with Raosoft® software. Data analysis was executed using IBM Statistic SPSS, and the level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 236 participants completed the questionnaires. The majority, i.e., 218 (92.4%) of them, were male; in addition, 124 (52.5%) were aged between 26 and 30, 124 (52.5%) were pharmacy students, 112 (47.5%) were nursing students, and 134 (56.8%) were smokers. When asked about ever having at least one episode of headache during the week, 66.1% (n = 156) agreed that they had one episode of headache, although 57 (24.2%) of the students had a headache for five days during a week. With regard to the impact of headaches on everyday activities, only 34.7% of the students said that headache disrupted their regular activities. Almost 41% of the students agreed that headache impacted their academic performance. Nearly 34% of students (n = 79) who had headaches considered napping, while 33% (n = 64) took painkillers and anti-inflammatory medicines, and 25% (n = 59) considered taking caffeine. In this study, the participants’ ages and headache severity were strongly associated (p = 0.0001). More pharmacy students (66.1%) reported having severe headaches than nursing students (14.3%) (p = 0.0001). Conclusions: The current findings revealed that most of the undergraduates suffered from headaches, and the intensity of the pain was moderate; furthermore, one in four undergraduates reported that headaches impacted their academic performance. Caffeine and simple analgesics and anti-inflammatories were used for headache relief.

Assessment of nursing undergraduate's perceptions of Interprofessional learning: A cross-sectional study

Background

Inter-Professional Learning (IPE) is based on mutual respect, and it improves collaboration and teamwork, and satisfaction among students and professionals.

Objective

This study aimed to assess the perceptions of IPE among Nursing students in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

This is a cross-sectional survey-based study conducted among students from three different universities in Saudi Arabia, among nursing students over 6 months from May 2021 to October 2021. Descriptive analysis was used to assess the perceptions of IPE and inferential testing was used to assess the association of perception scores among variables using a statistical package for social science version 26 (SPSS).

Results

A total of 517 participants responded to the questionnaires. A higher proportion (n = 281, 54.4%) of the participants were females and were between 21 and 24 (n = 350; 67.7%) years old. The mean age of the participants was 21.35 (SD = 1.46). The majority of them were from King Saud University (n = 273, 52.8%), followed by King Khalid University (n = 127, 24.6%). Of the participants (80.4 %) agreed learning with other students will help them to become more effective members of a healthcare team. The mean overall score for RIPLS was 70.85 (SD = 6.611). The mean score for teamwork and collaboration was 37.19 (SD = 4.79), professional identity, 23.23 (SD = 2.89), roles and responsibilities 10.42 (SD = 2.20). The mean score is significantly associated with the university type (p = 0.0001), and previous knowledge of IPE (p = 0.0001).

Conclusion

The majority of the students had positive perceptions of understanding IPE and a good level of preparation for IPE. This means that if IPE is conducted among Saudi students, students will benefit from it, and it has the potential to improve their capacity to deliver holistic nursing care to their patients.

Al-Rawi M. Evaluation of knowledge of risk factors and warning signs of stroke - An observational study among future health care professionals

Background and objective

The role of healthcare professionals in society is unique since they are providers of health information and medication counseling to patients. Hence, this study aimed to evaluate Knowledge of Risk Factors and Warning Signs of Stroke among undergraduate health care Students (UHCS) at King Saud University (KSU), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Methodology

An online cross-sectional study was conducted among UHCS at KSU, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from September to November 2022, using self-administered 34-item questionnaires divided into five sections to assess participants' knowledge of stroke risk factors, warning signs, and management and source of information about the stroke. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26 was used to analyze the data (SPSS).

Results

Of the 300 questionnaires distributed, 205 students completed the questionnaires, giving a response rate of 68.3%. Of whom 63 (30.7%) were pharmacy, 81 (39.5%) were nursing and 61 (29.8%) were emergency medical services (EMS) Students. One hundred and eighty-two (88.8%) of the students agreed that stroke affects bodily movement. With regards to risk factors, students identified high blood pressure 182 (88.8%), followed by heart disease 175 (85.4%), advanced age 164 (80%), previous Stroke history 158(77.1%), and lack of physical activity 156 (76.1%). Difficulty in speaking or slurred speech 164 (80%), dizziness, and loss of balance 163 (79.5%) were identified as the warning signs of stroke. In this study, 41.3 % of the pharmacy students reported a good level of knowledge than nursing and EMS students. However, 32.2% (N = 66) of the healthcare undergraduates reported good knowledge. The knowledge score was significantly associated with the year of study, and educational degree (p = 0.0001). Furthermore, there were no differences between parents working in healthcare settings (p = 0.99).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the knowledge of stroke among healthcare students at King Saud University varied. The reported knowledge gap mostly relates to stroke risk factors and warning signs. Therefore, increasing public awareness of potential risk factors and stroke warning signs needs to receive more attention.

Evaluation of Young Adults' Physical Activity Status and Perceived Barriers in the Riyadh Region of Saudi Arabia

Background

Physical activity (PA) is any prolonged movement produced by muscular tissues that cause the muscles to exert force. Despite its beneficial effect, it is frequently neglected by individuals. The present study aimed to determine the PA among young adults living in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

This cross-sectional study was conducted among Saudi adults living in the Riyadh region of Saudi Arabia from June to August 2022 through a self-administered online survey. Global Physical Activity Questionnaire was used to assess the PA among participants. The data were analyzed using statistical software SPSS v. 26.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA).

Results

Among the surveyed adult males were the predominant 67.8% (n= 240). Most of them were young, aged between 24 to 34 years 62.4% (n=221), and 37.6% (n=133) of them were between 35 and 44 years old. The current findings reported that 63% (n=223) of the adults had PA on weekly basis. Walking 45.2% (n=160) followed by bodybuilding 12.7% (n=45) was the most common type of PA identified among adults. The barriers identified for not practicing PA were lack of time 46.9% (n=166). With regard to a sedentary lifestyle, it was reported that 9.55 (SD= 4.887) hours per day are spent sedentary or in a constant sitting. The adults gender (p=0.046) employment (p=0.0001) and educational status (p=0.0001) was significantly associated with the type of PA engaged. Although being a female were shown more sitting behavior than males (p<0.047), similarly the nationality of the adults (6.67; SD=1.649) (p <0.001), education (p=0.028) and monthly household income (p =0.024) were significantly associated with the overall mean sitting behavior.

Conclusion

The findings of this study confirmed that Saudi adults yet posing highly sedentary behavior and physical inactivity, despite knowing the harmful outcomes of inactivity. Thus educating individuals about the importance of PA is warranted.

Evaluation of Health Literacy and Associated Factors Among Adults Living in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

In this westernized culture, maintaining a healthy lifestyle has become a major health concern internationally. Health literacy is an emerging concept and requires effective measures and reform to improve the health status and health of individuals at both national and international levels, and has become one of the important determinants of individual health and healthcare service. This study aimed to assess health literacy among adults in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted among a randomly selected population using a structured validated questionnaire over 4 months in 2021. The questionnaires designed for the study included 26 items divided into 5 domains assessed on a five-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26 (IBM Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) and IBM SPSS 26 (IBM Inc.). The mean score for reading, access to information, understanding, appraisal, and decision-making was 12.01 ± 4.37, 20.16 ± 7.17, 24.84 ± 8.37, 11.85 ± 4.90, and 36.94 ± 10.41 respectively. The mean scores of reading and understanding domains were found to have significant differences concerning gender (P < .05). Additionally, participants' age was significantly associated with the mean score of reading and decision-making (P < .006 and P < .049). The findings reported a prevalence of inadequate HL in the population of Saudi Arabia was 54.4%, and the determinants associated with the scores of HL were age, gender, and education.

A cross-sectional assessment of knowledge, awareness of risk factors, and perceptions of thyroid disease (TD) among adults living in Saudi Arabia - A community based study

Background

The incidence of thyroid diseases has tripled in the last three decades, and the prevalence is rising rapidly irrespective of gender and genetics. This study aimed to assess the Knowledge, awareness of risk factors, and perceptions of thyroid disease among the Saudi Community in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A cross-sectional, online web-based, survey type study was conducted between November 2021 to January 2022 among residents living in Saudi Arabia. Individuals aged ≥ 18 years who expressed a willingness to complete the survey were included. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were carried out to determine the factors associated with knowledge of thyroid using SPSS version 26.0 software (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, U.S.).

Results

Among the participants, the majority of them were females than males (77.5 vs. 22.5%). A total of 78.2% (n = 566) of them were aware of the thyroid. Nearly 44% (n = 312) of respondents are aware that a lump in the neck or swelling is a sign of thyroid disease, followed by pain in the neck 24.6% (n = 178), and difficulty in swallowing 23.8% (n = 172). The mean knowledge score of the thyroid was 4.1 (SD = 3.09), while the score of the mean perception was 33.02 (SD = 6.41). The mean knowledge scores were significantly associated with having previous knowledge of thyroid disease (t = 5.08; p = 0.0001). The gender of the participant and the presence of chronic diseases were found to have no impact on the knowledge score of the thyroid disease (t = -1.18; p = 0.235; t = 1.005; p = 0.315). Additionally, the perceptions score was not significantly associated with the demographics of the participants (p = 0.05).

Conclusion

In this study, Saudi adults reported varying levels of knowledge and perceptions of thyroid disease. Having previous knowledge of the thyroid was significantly associated with the knowledge score. It is necessary to educate people about this rising disease.

Perception of pharmacy students toward numeracy: An observational study from King Saud University, Riyadh Saudi Arabia

Background and objective

Numeracy is the branch of mathematics involved in understanding basic calculations, quantitation, estimation, reasoning, and execution of multistep operations. It is very imperative that pharmacists understand and apply numeracy skills in their routine work in the interest of their profession and patient care. This observational study was designed to assess the pharmacy student's perceptions of numeracy.

Methods

A prospective observational study was conducted by the Department of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, between December 2021 and February 2022. All the enrolled subjects pursued a 5-year Pharma degree course at the university using a 9-item instrument, which accessed the perception of students toward numeracy. The data were analyzed using the statistical software statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 26.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Chi-square and Fisher's exact test were used to derive an association between various parameters of the study subjects. A P-value of < 0.05 was taken as statistically significant.

Results

A total of 550 pharmacy students were approached in this study, out of which 21 (3.8%) students were excluded due to incompleteness of the responses; thereupon, 529 students were included in the study. We learned that almost 90.0% of students had excellent and/or good mathematical ability, but at the same time, they were frequent users of calculators. Most of the students endorsed the importance of numeracy and showed their interest in attaining more knowledge of numeracy. Similarly rating the perceptions of mathematical ability is significantly associated with the frequency of use of a calculator for calculations (p = 0.0001).

Conclusion

Pharmacy students showed interest in numeracy and correspondingly showed excellent perceptions toward mathematical ability. Although the role of numeracy has been well accepted, inciting changes in teaching-learning practices through mathematically focused teaching approaches throughout the pharmacy program will increase its applicability in healthcare.

Evaluation of Knowledge of Food-Drug and Alcohol-Drug Interactions Among Undergraduate Students at King Saud University - An Observational Study

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

The role of pharmacists in society is unique since they are providers of drug information and medication counseling to patients. Hence, the present study was designed to investigate the knowledge, of undergraduate pharmacy students regarding food drug (FDIs) and alcohol-drug interactions (ADIs) at King Saud University, Riyadh Saudi Arabia.

METHODOLOGY

An online cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate pharmacy students at King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from October 2021 to January 2022, using self-administered 24-items questionnaires focused on evaluating the knowledge of FDIs and ADIs.

RESULTS

Of the 200 questionnaires distributed, 142 students responded, of whom 40.8% (n = 58) of the students did not agree with the statement that patients can eat more green leafy vegetables with warfarin. Just over half 52.8% (n = 75) agreed that milk affects the efficacy of tetracycline. Regarding the students' knowledge about amiodarone interactions with grapefruit 43% (n = 61) of them were knowledgeable, while 43.7% (n = 62), knew that atorvastatin cannot be taken with grapefruit. A total of 44.4% (n = 63) of the students reported being knowledgeable about FDIs. In terms of the individual questions, Alcohol interactions with antihistamines and paracetamol received the highest percentages of 52.8% (n = 75) and 50.7% (n = 72), respectively, followed by warfarin and methotrexate (45.1%; 41.5%). In this study, 39.4% (n = 56) of the participants were found knowledgeable about ADIs. The overall knowledge of interactions among the students was 47.9% (n = 68). The total knowledgeable levels were significantly associated with educational levels and having previous information about interaction (p = 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, undergraduate pharmacy students exhibited poor knowledge of FDIs and ADIs. As a result, more focus and effort should be given to raising awareness of potential FDIs and ADIs. Our study highlights the need for improving pharmacy students' knowledge about FDIs and ADIs.

Exploring the Attitudes of Pharmacy Students in Saudi Arabia towards Plagiarism Evidence from a Cross-Sectional Study

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to explore the attitudes towards plagiarism among pharmacy students in Saudi Arabia.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted on pharmacy students at King Saud University in Riyadh to assess their attitudes towards plagiarism. The questionnaire consists of 27 items on a 5-point Likert scale (strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly agree) that assess three attitudes about plagiarism (positive and negative attitudes, as well as subjective norms).

RESULTS

A total of 415 pharmacy students took part in this research. Among the whole sample, 55.7% were male, and 44.3% were female. The findings demonstrated a moderately positive attitude towards plagiarism (30 ± 6) and subjective standards (29 ± 7) as well as a moderate negative attitude (22 ± 5). About 26.5% of students did not believe that they worked in a plagiarism-free workplace, and 45.3% of students believed that self-plagiarism should not be punished in the same way as plagiarism.

CONCLUSIONS

The overall attitudes of pharmacy students were positive. Training in medical writing and research ethics in the undergraduate and graduate pharmacy curricula is mandatory.