Public Perception in Saudi Arabia Toward Herpes Zoster and Its Vaccination: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background Herpes zoster (HZ) or shingles, arises from the reactivation of the varicella zoster virus (VZV), mainly affecting older and immunocompromised individuals. Despite the efficacy of vaccines, vaccination rates in Saudi Arabia are low. Thus, this study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of the Saudi Arabian population toward HZ and its vaccination. Methods An observational cross-sectional study was carried out to evaluate the public perception in Saudi Arabia toward HZ and its vaccination, during the period from January to March 2024. Participants were selected using a non-probability, convenience sampling method, with recruitment facilitated through WhatsApp, a messaging app. Data has been analyzed using the statistical software Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), version 26.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). A p-value of <0.05 has been used to report the statistical significance. Results The study's demographic profile included 1237 participants, predominantly younger than 30 years (65.5%), with a female majority (65.7%). Public knowledge about HZ was limited, only 29.6% of participants recognized the risk of HZ post-chickenpox. More than half of the participants were not aware that the vaccine is provided by the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH) for certain groups. However, over 75% are willing to receive the HZ vaccine upon physician recommendation. Conclusion This study shows a general lack of awareness about HZ and its vaccination in Saudi Arabia, including misconceptions about vaccination availability, recommendations, and the disease's complications. Gender differences in attitude and interest highlight the potential for tailored educational campaigns. Addressing these issues is essential for improving vaccination rates and mitigating HZ's impact.

Hypoglycemia awareness and its associated risk factors, in non-insulin-dependent diabetes in Hail region, Saudi Arabia

OBJECTIVE

Hypoglycemia is one of the avoidable complications of diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2, which occurs in between 24% to 60% of diabetic patients. It is a state of low plasma glucose concentration, either with or without symptoms, that can expose the patient to risks. Hypoglycemia is associated with impaired brain function, cardiovascular and visual effects, and increased mortality. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge of hypoglycemia as a complication of diabetes mellitus type 2 and the awareness of risk factors among the Hail City population, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study targeting diabetic patients with type 2 in Hail province from April to August 2022. We used an online questionnaire distributed through popular social media, which included questions on age group, gender, BMI, social status, occupation, education, and income.

RESULTS

Approximately 48.2% of patients had episodes of hypoglycemia in the previous three months, while 43% did not have hypoglycemic episodes. Among patients, 424 (73.7%) had less than three hypoglycemic episodes during the previous three months, and 121 (21%) had 3-6 episodes.

CONCLUSIONS

Hypoglycemic episodes among diabetic patients have critical effects on the patient and may lead them to avoid diabetic drugs, causing hyperglycemia.