Al Majmaah Research Articles

Assessing Parental Awareness and Knowledge of Testicular Torsion in Majmaah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Testicular torsion, an infrequent yet grave urological condition, manifests with intense pain and swelling, necessitating prompt diagnosis and immediate treatment within a narrow timeframe, typically ranging from 6 to 8 hours. This study aims to comprehensively evaluate parental understanding of testicular torsion, pinpointing areas for targeted educational interventions. Material and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional community-based study was conducted. The study was conducted among parents residing in Al Majmaah Governorate, Saudi Arabia, which is situated in the center of the Kingdom within the Al-Riyad Region. Al Majmaah, known as the capital of the Sudair region in Najd and its largest city, spans an area of 30,000 square kilometers with a population exceeding 133,285 individuals. All parents meeting the inclusion criteria, including residency in Al Majmaah Governorate, a

Sensitivity Profile of Fosfomycin, Nitrofurantoin, and Co-trimoxazole Against Uropathogens Isolated From UTI Cases in a Secondary Care Center, KSA.

Background Fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, and co-trimoxazole are cheap and effective first-line oral antimicrobials in cases of uncomplicated cystitis in males and non-pregnant females. Fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin are called urinary antiseptics because these two drugs are primarily excreted in the kidney and concentrated in the urine without systemic effect. The present study was designed to evaluate the in vitro activities of fosfomycin, nitrofurantoin, and co-trimoxazoleagainst uropathogens isolated at King Khalid Hospital Al-Majmaah, KSA. Methods The study was conducted at the King Khalid Hospital Al Majmaah, KSA, from September 1, 2021, until February 28, 2022. The patients' urine samples were inoculated on the Cystein Lactose Electrolytes Deficient (CLED) medium, and uropathogens were isolated. The organisms' identification and sensitivity testing against cotrimoxazole, fosfomycin, and nitrofurantoin was conducted using a Microscan automated analyzer, the MicroScan WalkAway Beckman Coulter, Sacramento, CA, USA. Results The study comprised non-repeat 137 patients who were either admitted to the hospital or treated as outpatients, yielding a total of 147 isolates. Nitrofurantoin showed a lower resistance rate, around 20% (n = 29), followed by fosfomycin at 23% (n = 34). The resistance rate of cotrimoxazole was 43% (n = 63). Overall, nitrofurantoin and fosfomycin showed relatively lower resistance against all isolates. Conclusions Being cheap and effective, we propose that fosfomycin and nitrofurantoin be used as first-line treatments in patients presenting with uncomplicated UTIs.

Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals contamination in agricultural soil from Al Majma'ah, central Saudi Arabia

Soil acts as a tank for heavy metals through surface complexation, ion exchange and surface precipitation. The purpose of this study was to assess the contamination and ecological risk of heavy metals (HMs) in agricultural soil in the Al Majma'ah area of central Saudi Arabia. Soil samples from 34 farms were collected, and HMs were evaluated using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI), and potential ecological risk index (RI) were applied. The average values of the HMs (dry weight, mg/kg) had the following order: Fe > Al > Mn > Zn > Ni > Cr > V > Cu > Pb > Co > As. Results of contamination indices revealed low contamination, low risk and no enrichment for all HMs, except some minor enrichment for Zn and Ni. The considerable positive correlations between all elemental pairings in the correlation matrix and the one extracted principal component suggested that HMs in Al Majmaah soil were formed from weathering of Jurassic to Quaternary sediments in the research area.

Distribution of Hemoglobinopathies among Premarital Couples in Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia  

Distribution of Hemoglobinopathies among Premarital Couples in Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia  

Professionalism, Ethics, and Realism of Television Medical Dramas as Perceived by Saudi Medical Students.

Since their debut, medical dramas have been popular, particularly among medical students. This study examined how much time medical students spend watching medical TV shows and their impressions of the shows' professionalism, ethics, and realism. A survey on medical students' medical drama viewing behavior and perceptions with regard to bioethics was given to 341 first- to fifth-year undergraduate medical students at a university in Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia. The poll gathered demographic information, TV medical drama watching habits, bioethical and professional concerns in medical dramas, and the sources of bioethical knowledge. The most popular medical dramas were The Good Doctor, Grey's Anatomy, and House M.D. Compared with English-language television medical dramas, Arabic ones were less popular. Ninety-one percent of students watched television alone. There was no statistically significant difference in respondents' perceptions of ethics accuracy based on year of study, gender, or whether they discussed it with friends. In comparison to students who had not seen any medical dramas, those who had were more inclined to view them as a credible source of ethical advice (P-value .04). There is a high interest in medical programs among medical students, and these programs can be used to teach them about the ethical aspects of practicing medicine.

First Aid Management and Myths of Epistaxis among General Adult Saudi population of Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia

To evaluate the knowledge, awareness, and attitude (myths) of the general population about the first aid management of epistaxis. This cross-sectional study was conducted via an online questionnaire from March to August 2022. We generated google forms for data collection. The link to this google form was randomly shared on WhatsApp and Facebook platforms. A previously used questionnaire was used and tested in the pilot study over a sample of 20 participants. The questionnaire contained socio-demographic information including sex, age, occupation, and residence. Furthermore, the level of awareness was measured on behalf of epistaxis causes and actions which were further subdivided into many categories. Myths were also observed through a questionnaire For this cross-sectional study 407 participants aged 15 to 55 years were recruited. A total of 325 participants encountered epistaxis once in their lifetime. The 30% participants of in our study reported spontaneous epistaxis while 4.4% and 4.9% encountered it due to nasal trauma and fingernail trauma. In 7.6% of participants, epistaxis occurred due to bleeding disorders while 23% reported hypertension as the major reason. We observed that 94% population was familiar with the proper position that epistaxis patients required to control bleeding. Sitting with the head tilted forward as a coping mechanism was used in 48.9% of participants with 199 individuals practicing this while sitting with the head tilted backward was practiced by 117 (28.7%) participants. The general population had enough knowledge to manage epistaxis. The awareness levels of the population show a positive reflection of the healthcare system. However, we recommend that further studies should be conducted with a large sample size to evaluate the validity of our research.

The Role of Practicum Training in Developing the Professional Skills of the Student Teacher: Monitors’ and Student Teachers’ Perspectives

The aim of the study was to investigate monitors’ and student teachers’ perspectives regarding the role of practicum training in developing the professional skills of the student teacher. A total of 48 female students from the Kindergarten Program at the Majmaah University (who spent the training period in cooperative kindergartens in the cities of Al Majmaah, that is, MA, and Al Zulfi, that is, ZL) as well as six mentors participated in the study. Mixed mode approach was employed. Monitors and student teachers ascertained and emphasised the role of practicum training in developing positive attitudes towards the teaching profession, developing the instrumental competencies of the student teacher, adapting the student teacher to the environment of kindergarten, and achieving emotional balance for student teacher.

Pervasiveness of Depression among Students in Medical Colleges of Majmaah University, KSA

Background: Depression is a mental condition that is defined by chronic melancholy and a loss of interest in things that a person generally enjoys, as well as an inability to carry out everyday tasks for at least two weeks. "Students cope with a multitude of difficulties at college, including new lifestyle, friends, roommates, exposure to different cultures and alternate ways of thinking, and, at times, financial troubles. Students who do not feel capable or equipped to cope with the unfamiliar atmosphere of a college campus are more likely to develop depression. Objectives: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of depression among students in medical colleges of Majmaah University, Al Majmaah Saudi Arabia and to measure the rates of depression among students. Material and methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational study done on the medical students of Majmaah University in year 2019-2020. Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), along with a pretested pre-coded Socio demographic, questionnaire was used. Prior ethical approval was taken from the institutional review board. Participants’ anonymity was ensured. Sample Type used was Multi stage Stratified sampling and sample size was 369 students. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 20. Results: A total of 369 students took part in the study out of which 185 (51%) were females and 184(49%) were males. After analysis it was found that only 14.9% of students were free from depression, 49.6% students had symptoms of mild depression, 21.7% had symptoms correlating with moderate depression and 13.8% students had severe depression symptoms. Moreover female students were found to have more percentage of moderate and severe depressive symptoms than the male students. Conclusion: Depression is quite prevalent among students in medical colleges of Majmaah University with more students falling under the category of mild to moderate depression. Females have more symptoms of depression than male students. There is need for proper mental health screening programs at community level to help the students to cope up with depression. Keywords: Depression, prevalence, university students, medical college

Epidemiological Analysis And Successful Management Of A Candida Auris Outbreak In A Secondary Care Hospital Setting In Saudi Arabia; An Outbreak Report.

Candida auris has emerged as a major diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in the hospital environment. C. auris is resistant to many antifungals, making it a newer example of one of the world's most problematic and feared health threats. We recently confronted a cluster of C. auris cases at our hospital during the spring of 2020.This outbreak investigation took place at the ICU of King Khalid hospital Al Majmaah Saudi Arabia. Considering its potential to cause an outbreak with serious consequences, strict control measures were implemented thus effectively controlling the outbreak.

Influence of nursing care intervention on quality of sleep in hospitalized patients at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: In clinical practice, patients' sleep is disrupted by medical professionals' care or evaluations both at night and during the day. Multiple factors contribute to this sleep disruption resulting in poor clinical outcomes. Aims: This study aims to determine the quality of sleep perceived by patients admitted to various hospital settings, as well as the factors affecting sleep quality. Settings and Design: Descriptive explorative design involving purposive convenient sampling of 90 hospitalized admitted at King Khalid General Hospital, Al Majmaah, and General Hospital, Zulfi. Methodology: St. Mary's Hospital Sleep Questionnaire used to assess patients' sleep and sleep-disturbing scale. Statistical Analysis Used: The Chi-square test was used to compare the different parameters related to sleep. Results: Subjective conclusions suggested that 38 (26.4%) patients slept lightly, 67 (46.5%) were moderately satisfied with their last night's sleep, and only 9 (6.3%) were mildly dissatisfied. Continuous light, uncomfortable Pillow, strange fragrances (P = 0.004), hearing frequent sound (P = 0.018), telephone (P = 0.046), and machine alarms (P = 0.006) were the elements impacting sleep pattern connected to the patient themselves. Tubings, monitor leads, pain, and fear of death all significantly influenced sleep pattern. Many of the healthcare workers' behaviors such as awakening by doctors and nurses (χ 2 = 13.08, P = 0.02), making loud noise (χ 2 = 15.85, P = 0.007), assessing vitals (χ 2 = 12.90, P = 0.02), hygiene care (χ 2 = 5.24, P = 0.14), feeding (χ 2 = 9.82, P = 0.09), tubing and drain (χ 2 = 17.92, P < 0.002), and suctioning (χ 2 = 21.30, P = 0.0001) had significant influence on sleep pattern. Conclusion: Based on the results, nurses can minimize the factors that cause sleep interference in hospitalized patients and avoid the possible negative effects caused by sleep deprivation.

Seroprevalence of hepatitis B and C viral infections in the premarital adult population of Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia.

Viral hepatitis is a major global health problem affecting millions of people worldwide. The main objective of the present study was to estimate the seroprevalence of hepatitis C and hepatitis B in Saudi adults undertaking premarital screening voluntarily. This observational retrospective study was conducted at King Khaled General Hospital, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia, for a period of 3 years (October 1, 2016 to September 30, 2019). The prevalence of hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections was calculated using Microsoft Excel and the hematological data analysis was performed using SPSS software. A total of 3755 premarital Saudi adults who voluntarily participated in the premarital screening were included in this study. Subjects were screened for hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). The demographic and epidemiological parameters included patient age, sex, nationality, and seropositivity for HBV and/or HCV. Of the 3755 subjects, eight (0.242%) and 12 (0.364%) subjects were positive for HCV and HBV, respectively. Among the 12 HBV-positive subjects, nine (75%) subjects were men, and three (25%) subjects were women. However, among the eight HCV-positive subjects, five (62.5%) subjects were men, and three (37.5%) subjects were women. This study concluded that the prevalence of HBV infection was slightly higher than that of HCV infection among the Saudi adult population of Al Mjamaah. In addition, both HBV and HCV were less prevalent in women than in men in the study population.

The Effect of the Reflective Learning Model on Student Creative Thinking Skills at Al Majmaah University

This study aims to investigate the effect of a reflective learning model on students' creative thinking skills. The researcher employed an experimental method and used a one group pre-test and post-test design. The participants were 35 randomly selected college students enrolling in the 2018/2019 academic year, majoring in faculty of education. This study administered Torrance tests of creative thinking (TTCT), figural form B, and the creative activities questionnaire to measure participants' creative thinking skills. The skills involved fluency, originality, and flexibility. The results showed a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the pre-test (M = 30.95) and the post-test (M = 36.05). This suggests that the reflective learning model was statistically effective in improving students' creative thinking skills. Reflective learning is considered to be an appropriate learning method for faculty of education students in higher education.

Analysis of prescription pattern in patients on maintenance hemodialysis

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a world-wide public health problem associated with various complications. CKD patients undergoing hemodialysis have associated comorbidities and prescribing drugs rationally in these patients is a difficult task. To evaluate the prescribing patterns of medicines in CKD patients on maintenance hemodialysis.A Cross-sectional, hospital-based observational study was conducted in King Khalid General Hospital, Al Majmaah for a period of one year. The records of patients in the given period were examined and data pertaining to prescriptions was analyzed.A total of 41 prescriptions of patients were analyzed. The most common associated co-morbidity was hypertension in 82.9% of the patients, followed by anemia in 73.1% of patients and secondary hyperparathyroidism in 63.4% of the patients. 85.4% of the patients had more than one comorbidity. The total number of drugs prescribed was 504 and the average number of prescriptions per patient was 12.3. The percentage of drugs prescribed using generic name was 71.4 and 65.3% drugs prescribed were from the WHO essential drugs list. Total number of Fixed dose combinations used was only 1.2%. The study has generated a profile of drugs prescribed in CKD patients on maintenance hemodialysis in a secondary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. High number of medications were used per prescription in this study thus increasing the possibility of drug interactions and Adverse events. Further studies with special consideration for drug-drug interactions, adverse events and adherence need to be conducted.

Efficacy of newer modalities in the management of indirect hyperbilirubinaemia at a secondary care hospital: A prospective study from 2015-2018.

To evaluate the efficacy of current practices and new modalities for the management of neonatal indirect hyperbilirubinaemia. The prospective study was conducted at King Khalid Hospital, Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia, from September 2015 to September 2018, and copmprised neonates with hyperbilirubinaemia who were managed using the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence 2010 guidelines. The outcomes were measured in terms of decrease in total serum bilirubin and clinical improvement. Data was analysed using SPSS 25. Of the 233 subjects, there were 119(51%) girls and 114(49%) boys. Phototherapy was used in 162(69.5%) cases, intensive phototherapy in 36(15.5%) and intravenous immunoglobulin in 35(15%). Exchange transfusion was done in 2(0.85%) patients. All the 233(100%) patients improved with the management and total serum bilirubin significantly reduced (p<0.05). Newer techniques were found to have a vital role in the management of neonatal hyperbilirubinaemia.

The effectiveness of life Skills Program in Enhancing Students’ life- Satisfaction and self-efficacy among Female Students in Al Majmaah University

T he purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of Life Skills Training program on life satisfaction and self-efficacy of female university students. The sample size is 60 female students at Al Majmaah University held in 12 sessions of 2 hours in the training of campus space. Pretest-posttest design with no control group was employed. Participants answered to the satisfaction of life Questionnaire (SWLS) before and after they received the LST program. Data were analyzed by t-test for dependent groups and covariance method. The results showed that there were significant effectiveness of the LST program on life satisfaction and self-efficacy of female students who benefit more from the program. According to this study, life skills training can be useful to increase life satisfaction and self-efficacy of students.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice towards Osteoporosis among General Practitioners Working in Al Majmaah Province, KSA

Background: Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic disorder affecting bone which develops because of normal ageing, excessive bone loss during adulthood and impaired development of peak bone mass. Awareness among physicians is vital for the early detection and timely treatment and hence fractures prevention. The present study was carried out to study the knowledge, attitude and practice towards osteoporosis among general practitioners working in Al Majmaah, KSA. Methodology: This crosssectional research was conducted among all the qualified family physicians, general practitioners and resident doctors in Majmaah province, KSA. Data collection was done based on a standardized KAP questionnaire. Results: All the data were entered and analysed according to the intentions of the present work. Good level of knowledge concerning the diagnosis was observed among the study subjects and a high proportion of respondents believed in the preventive strategies of the disease. Responses were obtained from total of43 practitioners who included 23.3% female, and 76.7% male in and around Majmaah province. Majority (72.1%) of the respondent’s attitude was that osteoporosis has major effect on the health of the community. In relation to practice aspects, prescription of 76.7% responders includes bisphosphonates as the most commonly used drug for treatment of osteoporosis. Conclusion: A considerable level of knowledge and positive attitude towards osteoporosis was found; however, practices for the prevention of osteoporosis still need improvement. There is a need to extend the medical knowledge of general practitioners in Al Majmaah Province, KSA, regarding the contemporary management of osteoporosis and its risk factors. Professional training programs are required to enhance the practitioner’s knowledge and attitude to improve their practices.

Insomnia severity index: a psychometric investigation among Saudi nurses.

Insomnia is the most prevalent sleep disorder, but it is widely untreated and under-diagnosed in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, no tool to screen insomnia has been validated in the Saudi population in general or nurses in particular. This study, therefore, assessed the psychometric validity of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) in Saudi nurses. A cross-sectional study with purposive sampling was performed with nurses (n= 134, age = 21-48years) from Al Majmaah, Saudi Arabia. Both conventional and online survey methods using the ISI, a brief measure of metacognition, and a socio-demographics questionnaire were employed. No ceiling or floor effects were found in the ISI total score (8.84 ± 5.07) or the factor scores, but the floor effect was found in the item scores. A two-factor model showed the best fit (Pclose .97, comparative fit index [CFI] 1.00, root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] 0.00, non-significant χ2test, χ2/df 0.904). This model showed favorable configural, metric, scalar, and partial strict invariance across gender groups (CFI > .95, RMSEA < .05, χ2/df < 3, non-significant Δχ2, ΔCFI ≤ .01). The internal consistency was adequate (Cronbach's alpha = 0.75, 0.78 for the two factors of the ISI). The lack of correlations between the ISI scores and the scores of the brief measure of the metacognition favored its divergent validity. The ISI showed adequate psychometric validity for screening insomnia among Saudi nurses.

Awareness of carpal tunnel syndrome among adult population of Al Majmaah city, Saudi Arabia, 2018-2019.

Background:Due to the lack of data and studies concerning about measurement of population awareness about carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in Al Majmaah city, this study aims at determining the level of population awareness among Al Majmaah adult population in Saudi Arabia.Aims:To study the awareness of CTS among adult population in Al Majmaah city, Saudi Arabia, and to estimate the overall prevalence of CTS. In addition, to look for the relationship between CTS and chronic disease.Materials and Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 386 individuals were covered, both males and females in the targeted areas. A standardized questionnaire was used to cover 11 different aspects concerning CTS. SPSS package was used to analyze the data collected from the sample.Results:The result of scoring system shows that 54 of participants (14.0%) have CTS. Approximately, 30% of them are thought that the main symptom is pain in wrist. However, 26.7% think that tingling and numbness in fingers is the main manifestation. The most causes that population think that leads to the CTS are trauma, repeated hand physical activities such as using computer, taping, and wrist fracture or dislocation by 33.8%, 29.1%, and 21.4% respectively. There is relationship between patients who had chronic diseases and CTS [sig = 0.000]. CTS cause a strong effect on social life by 79.01% of participant though that CTS could affect patient sleep and job performance.Conclusion:The awareness of community was sufficient among adult population in Al Majmaah city, and the prevalence of CTS is 14%.

Analysis of antimicrobial resistance pattern in a secondary care hospital

Background: Antimicrobial resistance is a grave global public health concern and has escalated in recent past. Aims and Objectives: This study was conducted to analyze the antimicrobial resistance pattern of commonly isolated microorganisms in a secondary care hospital in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted at King Khalid Hospital, Al Majmaah. Antimicrobial resistance pattern of commonly isolated Gram-negative and Gram-positive microorganisms was checked against routinely used antimicrobials. Results: The prevalence rate calculated for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was 44.2%. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase Enterobacteriaceae was 14.70% and vancomycin-resistant enterococci were 8%. Conclusion: There is an increase in proportion of isolates resistant to commonly prescribed antibiotics highlighting the importance of ongoing surveillance and antibiotic stewardship program.

Assessment of Knowledge, attitude, and practice of dietary pattern in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a locality-based perspective study

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a lifelong metabolic disease, considered often as an epidemic problem that leads to a reduction in quality and expectancy of life. There is an increasing prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus throughout the world as a result of changing dietary patterns and decreased physical activity. Providing proper education and guidance towards diabetes care among patients could result in considerable development in their glycemic control and disease treatment. The objective of this study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and practice of dietary pattern among diabetes mellitus patients visiting primary health care center (PHC) in Al Majmaah City, Saudi Arabia Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 155 patients with type 2 diabetes that included 73 male and 82 females. Results: Mean knowledge score was 43.22±14.85. The mean attitudes score was 2.33±0.40, and regarding the practice, the majority of the patients did not follow special diet 87(56.1%), and only 24(15.5%) patients follow Diabetic diet. The majority 37(23.9%) of patients took only 1-2 serving of starch per a day, 47(30.3%) patients took less than one serving of fruits per a day, and 64(41.3%) patients only drank 4 cups of water per a day. Conclusion: In general, poor knowledge, attitudes, and practices were observed towards healthy dietary habits among type 2 diabetes mellitus in patients attending PHC in Al Majmaah city. The present study found only 15.5% among the study subjects following a strict diabetic diet which reflects the poor level of diabetic control followed in this part of the country.