Al-Qassim Region Research Articles

The Impact of COVID-19 on Preterm Birth Among Pregnant Women in Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia.

Pregnant women are regarded as a unique group due to the distinct immunological condition that pregnancy produces, which makes pregnant women more susceptible to respiratory infections like coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and its consequences. During pregnancy, many viral infections have been recognized to increase the risk of adverse obstetrical outcomes such as preterm delivery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of COVID-19 infection on preterm birth in pregnant women in the Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. This retrospective cohort study was conducted in Saudi Arabia between December 2019 to October 2021. The target subjects were pregnant women with live singleton gestations who underwent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing for COVID-19 infection during their delivery hospitalization. Data gathered included patient demographic information, clinical characteristics, and pregnancy outcomes. Data were analyzed using R version 4.1.1 (R Core Team (2021); R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). A total of 381 pregnant women were included. The median maternal age of women was 31.0 years (IQR: 27.0, 35.0) and the median BMI value was 30.5 kg/m2 (IQR: 26.9, 34.8). The most common comorbidities were diabetes (7.1%) and asthma (4.5%). A known history of preterm birth was prevalent among 2.9%. Of the participants,13.6% had a prenatal COVID-19 infection, of whom 57.7% had their infections resolved. The prevalence of positive PCR testing was 13.6%. Preterm birth occurred in 46 women (12.1%, 95%CI 9.1-15.9). Preterm birth was significantly associated with having a maternal age of ≥35 years, having high frequencies of parity, and having a past history of preterm birth, as well as having a history of hypertension and diabetes. Preterm birth was not significantly associated with having a confirmed COVID-19 infection at delivery. It was shown that preterm birth is evident among women with COVID-19 infection. Preterm birth is significantly associated with old age, multiparity, and a history of preterm delivery. Preterm birth is not significantly associated with having a confirmed COVID-19 infection at delivery. More research regarding infection-related adverse effects is advised and should be highlighted.

Evaluation of the effect of household-like handling on the concentration of ethion pesticide in parsley using GC-MS/MS for environmental monitoring

The main purpose of this study was to estimate the influence of different household treatments in the reduction/removal of ethion pesticide from the leaves of parsley in daily basis before human consumption. The suggested analytical method used for detection and quantitation of ethion pesticide in parsley matrix was based on AOAC Official Method 2007.01 using GC-MS/MS instrument. The limit of quantitation (LOQ) for ethion was presented as the minimum fortification level that fulfills convenient recoveries within 70–120% with precision (RSD ≤ 20%). Pesticide residues were extracted from samples of parsley leaves as a representative commodity for high water content group within leafy vegetables category. Parsley samples were gathered from Al-Rass city markets, Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia, and analyzed using the suggested method. Ethion pesticide was detected in parsley leaves with levels exceeding the European maximum residual limit (MRL). Some household-type processing and handling procedures were investigated in order to check their effectiveness in reducing the levels of ethion pesticide contaminant in parsley leaves before consumption. Our findings show that normal washing with tap water for 30-45 s is the best practice to reduce 29.6% the concentration of ethion pesticide in parsley samples.

Microwave-Assisted Digestion Using Dilute Nitric Acid and Hydrogen Peroxide for Multielement Determination in Wheat Flour by ICP-MS

A closed-vessel microwave digestion method was developed for the simultaneous determination of macro, micro, and toxic elements (Mg, K, Ca, Al, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Se, Rb, V, Cd, and As) in wheat by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). A two-level factorial design with four variables was employed to determine the optimal conditions for the significant parameters. The optimal conditions for microwave digestion of ground wheat samples were found to be 0.5 g of the sample, 9 mL of 8 mol/L HNO3, and 3 mL of 33% H2O2 at 210°C. The analytical method was validated, and the accuracy of the method was then evaluated through analysis of wheat flour-certified standard reference materials (NIST SRM 1567b). The validated procedure was subsequently applied to the analysis of 12 wheat samples sourced from local farms in the Al-Qassim region and a further six samples purchased from the Al-Qassim markets, covering six imported brands common in Saudi Arabia. The results of the study showed that the level of minerals in wheat grown in desert areas is higher than in other areas. The concentrations of macroelements and microelements in the Al-Qassim samples exceeded those of the imported samples by 12.41% and those of the samples from other countries by 33.90%. The results were also evaluated using multivariate analysis techniques: principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA).

Assessment of Elderly Type 2 Diabetic Patients who Self-adjust Their Insulin Regimen in Al-Qassim Region

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a multifactorial chronic disease. To avoid long-term and short-term complications, good glycemic control must be achieved. The majority of T2DM patients who require insulin therapy have their doses modified by their physicians; this procedure takes time and may not result in the optimal glycemic control. AIM: This study aims to ascertain whether elderly T2DM patients in Al-Qassim region modify their own insulin regimen and its effect on their glycemic control. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted in Al-Qassim University Medical City and Diabetic Centers in Buraydah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 384 participants were enrolled with a mean age of 70.2 ± 6.0 (61–94) years, majority (53.6%) of whom were females. About half (50.8%) were not educated and two-third (66.1%) giving insulin injections by themselves. Less than half (40.6%) of the participants changed their insulin dose, out of which 8.3% changed the dose by themselves. The mean hemoglobin A1C (HbA1c) level was 8.8 ± 1.9 with a range of 5.2–17. About 30.5% had recent hypoglycemic attacks, majority (47.9%) of whom had only one episode. Diabetic complications were seen among 127 participants with retinopathy as the most common (43.3%) complication. Hypoglycemic attacks and insulin dose adjusting were not found to be significantly associated (p = 0.476). The last HbA1c level was found to be significantly associated with adjusting insulin dose. CONCLUSION: Self-adjusting insulin dose was found to be rare. Moreover, HbA1c in patients who self-adjust their insulin dose was found to be significantly lower.

Correlation Between the Prevalence of Temporomandibular Disorders and Their Association With Psychological Distress in Central Saudi Arabia.

Background In this study, we aimed to determine the prevalence of temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) and their association with psychological distress in the central region of Saudi Arabia. Methodology In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire was sent randomly to residents of Al-Qassim province. They were asked to complete a TMD pain screener, the Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). Correlations between symptoms of pain-related TMDs and PHQ-4 and GAD-7 scores were analyzed using Spearman's correlation test. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for sex, age, TMD, PHQ-4, GAD-7, and TMD pain-screener responses. A chi-square test was performed to determine the association between demographic data and psychological profiles. Results The majority of the respondents (59.4%) reported at least one symptom of pain-related TMDs. The TMD pain score was positively correlated with PHQ-4 and GAD-7 scores. Conclusions Residents of the Al-Qassim region who experienced elevated levels of psychological distress had significantly more pain-related TMD symptoms. These findings imply a link between psychological distress and TMD symptoms.

Isolation, identification and comparative analysis of 16S rRNA of Multidrug-resistant Bacteria Clinically isolated from Al Qassim Region Hospitals in Saudi Arabia

Objective: This study concluded that the antibiotic resistance and gene transfer across bacterial strains in the hospital setting are two possible explanations for the observed sequence changes in the target microorganisms.
 Methods: The 16S rDNA genes of all isolates were effectively amplified using PCR, and detailed identification results were derived from GenBank databases. The BLAST search resulted in the classification of 28 isolates into five strains. The GC content of bacterial sequences varies greatly between single species.
 Results: 16S rDNA was utilized to identify bacterial species from isolates strains results demonstrated that identification of bacterial strains. Sequences varied between and within strains, also, variation are noticed in genomic nucleotide content of isolated and identified strains. Results of the present study demonstrated that the observed heterogeneity in the sequences of our target bacterial strains may be linked to antibiotic resistance and gene transfer between bacteria that evolved as a result of the hospital environment.
 Conclusion: This study concluded that antibiotic-resistant bacteria are capable of transferring copies of their DNA encoding a resistance mechanism to other bacteria, even those that are distantly related to them. the observed heterogeneity in the sequences of our target bacterial strains may be linked to antibiotic resistance and gene transfer between bacteria that evolved as a result of the hospital environment.

Evaluation of Soil Salinity Using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (ICBMS)--Case Study of Al Qassim Region, Kingdom Saudi

Al Qassim region situated in the middle of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It has a population of roughly 370,727 people and a 58,046-km² area. It is referred to as the "trophic basket" of the nation due to its agricultural resources. It is one of Saudi Arabia's most significant agricultural districts. Soil salinization is present as a global problem. Analyzing the impact of trace elements on soil salinization done. The concentrations of trace elements in three samples (Chlorine (Cl), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Magnesium (Mg), and Boron (B),), were taken from the western and eastern sides and 50cm depth, were testing using a COUPLED PLASMA-MASS SPECTROMETER (ICBMS), and they were found to be (152 μg/g, 5066 μg/g, 16022 μg/g, 4.2 μg/g, respectively) for the first sample. (185 μg/g, 4873 μg/g, 14876 μg/g, 2.6 μg/g, and respectively) for the second sample. (144μg/g, 5298 μg/g, 15080 μg/g, 3.8 μg/g, respectively) for the third sample. A pH meter used to determine the pH. The pH ranged from 5.98 on the east to 6.08 and 6.02 for 50cm depth, indicating somewhat acidic conditions. In addition, the concentrations of SO₄ and HCO₃, salty water-containing anions, which are common components, were tested. One of the main barriers to plant growth and development in acidic soils is aluminum (Al) toxicity. Magnesium and potassium values are higher than usual. At the plant root, a high potassium concentration prevents magnesium from being absorbed; a high magnesium content in the soil solution has no effect on potassium absorption.

An Epidemiological Study of Brucellosis in Different Animal Species from the Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

Brucellosis is a zoonotic bacterial illness that affects humans and a variety of domestic animals, especially ruminants. It is mostly transmitted through the consumption of contaminated drinks, foods, undercooked meat, or unpasteurized milk or contact with infected animals. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the seroprevalence of brucellosis in camels, sheep, and goat herds in the Qassim region, Saudi Arabia, using commonly used diagnostic serological procedures such as the Rose Bengal test (RBT), complement fixation test (CFT), and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The seroprevalence of brucellosis in camels, sheep, and goats was determined in the selected areas using a cross-sectional study design and a total of 690 farm animals of both sexes of different ages from the three animal species (274 camels, 227 sheep, and 189 goats). According to RBT results, 65 sera were positive for brucellosis, including 15 (5.47%) for camels, 32 (14.09%) for sheep, and 18 (9.50%) for goats. CFT and c-ELISA were performed as confirmatory tests on positive samples resulting from RBT. With c-ELISA, 60 serum samples were confirmed positive, in 14 (5.10%), 30 (13.21%), and 16 (8.46%) camels, sheep, and goats, respectively. There were 59 serum samples confirmed as positive for CFT, including 14 (5.11%), 29 (12.77%), and 16 (8.46%) for camels, sheep, and goats, respectively. Overall, the highest seroprevalence of brucellosis was found in sheep while the least was found in camels from the three tests (RBT, c-ELISA, and CFT). The highest seroprevalence of brucellosis was found in sheep while the least seroprevalence was found in camels. There was also a higher seroprevalence of brucellosis among female animals than males as well as among old animals than young animals. The study, thus, demonstrates brucellosis seroprevalence among farm animals (camels, sheep, and goats) and the significance of intervention measures against brucellosis incidence in both humans and animals through the creation of public awareness and other relevant policy measures such as livestock vaccination, effective hygiene management, and adequate quarantine or serological analysis for newly introduced animals.

Profile of Smokers Seeking Treatment at Smoking Cessation Clinics Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

Profile of Smokers Seeking Treatment at Smoking Cessation Clinics Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

Isolation, characterization, and fingerprinting of some multidrug resistance clinical isolates from patients in Al-Qaseem Hospitals, Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes in bacteria isolated from Saudi Arabian patients in the Al-Qassim region. We also examine the application of Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA- Polymerase chain reaction (RAPD-PCR) in genetic diversity of the strains in use. In this study, we have used 29 different clinical samples from Al-Qassim hospitals which consists of wound swabs, blood, sputum and urine. Clinical samples were streaked onto sterile Petri dishes containing nutrient agar media using sterile dry swabs. Additionally antibiotic sensitivity tests, micro scan walkway susceptibility tests and extraction of genomic DNA, amplification of RAPD and Inter simple sequence repeat assay were performed in this study. This study results confirmed from the clinical samples were streaked onto sterile Petri dishes containing nutrient agar media using sterile dry swabs. The PCR analysis in ISSR was confirmed that 30–70% of E. coli in Asia and Africa carried ESBLs in the GLASS 2020 study, which is on par with the 59% in VINARES 2016–2017. Comparing VINARES 2016–2017 to other nations, the prevalence of ESBL carriage among K. pneumoniae was 35%. However, RAPD results showed that all employed strains and primers could successfully fingerprint DNA. Between isolated bacterial strains, similarity dendrograms were produced. The technique generated bands with the same intensity as the typical PCR carried out using pure DNA, and it worked for all 29 bacterial strains examined. In conclusion, the results show that all of the isolates have at least one antibiotic-resistance gene, and that the PCR approach is a quick, easy, and reliable way to identify genes.

The Effect of Empowerment And Self-Efficacy On Employees’ Perceptions Of Quality Of Care

Background: Empowerment in work palace denotes to better decision making power which enable the worker to have greater control of their jobs. In conventional organizational structures, functioning of the organization revolve around the designing of the set rules and methods. It was though that if organization makes employees obligatory to follow such structures the effectiveness and efficiency may improve. However, later, researchers found out that by fitting employees to the specific job structures, organizations lose their potential as well as performance because employees creativity and innovation got restricted. Therefore, conventional practices may not be suitable for operating in complex and dynamic healthcare environment. To achieve organizational goals with more efficiently, employee empowerment to some extent is in need because independence that comes with empowerment encourages employees to voice their opinions that benefit healthcare organizations in uplifting the patient safety and quality of care they offer. Therefore, study intends to assess the state of employees’ empowerment in public hospitals located in Al Qassim region, Saudi Arabia. Moreover, the study intends to explore the effect on employee’s empowerment has on employee’s perceptions of quality of care and patient safety. Methods Using a cross-sectional research design, the study collected data from 119 employees working in different public hospitals of Al Qassim region. The online questionnaire consists of 30 questionnaire items, was developed using Google Doc to address the research questions of the study. Results The healthcare employees responded to their demographic characteristics, empowerment, self-efficacy, and quality of care have been improvising in the facility. This finding showed that the respondents are empowered to make decisions and are better at performing their given jobs. Furthermore, the outcome of the study exhibited that employee empowerment is associated with respondents’ perceptions of quality care and patient safety. The results from the study may also help healthcare administrators and policy makers to understand the current level of employee empowerment and self-efficacy. The findings can immensely help healthcare administrators and policymakers to design policies and strategies to improve the quality of care in Saudi health organizations Conclusion The study explores the issue of empowerment in the context of Saudi public healthcare hospitals. It shows that in healthcare workers of Saudi Hospitals located in Al Qassim region believe that they possess certain decision-making authority to perform their jobs. The study also shows that the respondents think that their organizations deliver quality of care and are concerned about patient safety.

Awareness of asthmatic patients to the association between the environmental risk factors and asthma exacerbation in Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia

Awareness of asthmatic patients to the association between the environmental risk factors and asthma exacerbation in Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia

Prevalence and pattern of breastfeeding among mothers in Al-Qassim region

Background: The objective of this study was to explore the prevalence of breastfeeding (BF) among the mothers living in the Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. This study also aimed to evaluate the factors causing delayed initiation of BF. Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted between November and December 2022 in which mothers who were living in the Al-Qassim region were eligible to participate. A self-administered questionnaire was used for collecting the data which was sent electronically. Results: Out of 265 mothers participated in the study, 38.9% were 30-40 years old and over 70% were having at least bachelor’s degree. Findings revealed that 82.5% timely initiated the BF while 25.3% had exclusive BF in the initial first six months. Mothers who had cesarean delivery and those who did not complete gestational age were in significantly less in proportion of receive education about BF after delivery (p=0.034 and p=0.015 respectively). In addition, mothers having cesarean delivery had 4.13 times higher odds of delayed initiation of BF (p=0.000) and mothers who had preterm delivery had 7.76 times more likely to delay initiation of BF (p=0.027). Conclusions: Prevalence of exclusive BF for initial six months were found to be among quarter of the mothers participated in the study. It was required to increase mothers’ knowledge and to educate them before and after delivery which facilitate to increase the prevalence of BF. Delivery method and gestational age were the factors causing delayed initiation of BF hence healthcare providers are required to counter the situation to increase the prevalence.

Awareness Level of Hypoglycemia Among Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 Patients in Al Qassim Region.

Background Hypoglycemia has a major impact on patient health and glycemic management during insulin therapy for both type 1 (T1DM) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It is the rate-limiting complication in diabetes management that prevents stringent glucose control. Objectives To assess the knowledge and awareness about hypoglycemia as a complication of T2D in adults in Al Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Methods This is a cross-sectional study done among type 2 diabetes patients in Al-Qassim, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, from January to June 2022. A previously validated online questionnaire was disseminated through social media to gather information from respondents. Participants were chosen via a simple random sampling technique. Data analysis was completed using SPSS (version 23; IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results Overall, 213 respondents were included in our study. The majority of them were females (70.9%). The participants' average age was 35.9 + 13.0 years. Our results revealed that the average awareness score of the study population was found to be 3.6 ± 1.1 (by using the Clarke method) and 3.7 ± 2.1 (by using the Gold method). Moreover, we found that impaired awareness of hypoglycemia's prevalence by Clarke's questionnaire was 52.1% and 53.5%by using the Gold questionnaire. In addition, almost half of the respondents reported weakness as a symptom of hypoglycemia over the last six months and unconsciousness over the last 12 months. Hypertension was the most commonly reported chronic disease by our participants. Lastly, factors such as age, gender, educational level, geographic distribution, and history of chronic illness did not show any significant association with impaired awareness of the prevalence of hypoglycemia. Conclusion According to our research, we concluded that patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus in the region of Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia, had insufficient knowledge about hypoglycemia as a complication of T2D. Moreover, the impaired awareness of hypoglycemia in diabetic patients was found to be high. Hence, there is a need for interventional programs to raise public awareness.

Combined Impact of Irrigation, Potassium Fertilizer, and Thinning Treatments on Yield, Skin Separation, and Physicochemical Properties of Date Palm Fruits.

Orchard cultural practices, i.e., irrigation, fertilizer, and fruit thinning, are crucially encompassed to enhance fruit yield and quality. Appropriate irrigation and fertilizer inputs improve plant growth and fruit quality, but their overuse leads to the degradation of the ecosystem and water quality, and other biological concerns. Potassium fertilizer improves fruit sugar and flavor and accelerates fruit ripening. Bunch thinning also significantly reduces the crop burden and improves the physicochemical characteristics of the fruit. Therefore, the present study aims to appraise the combined impact of irrigation, sulfate of potash (SOP) fertilizer, and fruit bunch thinning practices on fruit yield and quality of date palm cv. Sukary under the agro-climatic condition of the Al-Qassim (Buraydah) region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. To achieve these objectives, four irrigation levels (80, 100, 120, and 140% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc), three SOP fertilizer doses (2.5, 5, and 7.5 kg palm-1), and three fruit bunch thinning levels (8, 10, and 12 bunches palm-1) were applied. The effects of these factors were determined on fruit bunch traits, physicochemical fruit characteristics, fruit texture profile, fruit color parameters, fruit skin separation disorder, fruit grading, and yield attributes. The findings of the present study showed that the lowest (80% ETc) and highest (140% ETc) irrigation water levels, lowest SOP fertilizer dose (2.5 kg palm-1), and retaining the highest number of fruit bunch per tree (12 bunches) had a negative effect on most yield and quality attributes of date palm cv. Sukary. However, maintaining the date palm water requirement at 100 and 120% ETc, applying SOP fertilizer doses at 5 and 7.5 kg palm-1, and retaining 8-10 fruit bunches per palm had significantly positive effects on the fruit yield and quality characteristics. Therefore, it is concluded that applying 100% ETc irrigation water combined with a 5 kg palm-1 SOP fertilizer dose and maintaining 8-10 fruit bunches per palm is more equitable than other treatment combinations.

The Reality of Middle School (Intermediate) Female Students in Saudi Arabia and the Practice of 21st-Century Skills: Teachers’ Perspective

The skills that were considered necessary for success in the 21st century included the ability to improve social and intellectual abilities such as communication, cooperation, critical thinking, and problem-solving, as well as creativity and innovation. It also contains methods of working, interacting, cooperating, and working in teams so that they can encourage and support skills relevant to the 21st century, such as literacy, information technology, and digital networks. Thus, this study aims to know the reality of middle school (intermediate) pupils in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia about putting the skills of the 21st century into practice. The researcher employed the descriptive survey approach in her work, and the study tool (questionnaire) was used on a random sample composed of middle school (intermediate) teachers (female) in the Al-Qassim region. The following are some of the major results of the study: The use of technology by the middle school (intermediate) female students efficiently and effectively garnered a high response rate from the study participants. However, the intermediate students’ skills in information, media and technology culture, health and safety skills, and self-leadership put into practice earned an average response rate from the study participants. There were statistically significant differences in the study, which favored higher education qualifications and the attendance of training courses relevant to the “skills of the 21st century,” with no statistically significant differences for the more years of experience. The study advised that material and moral motivation tactics should be utilized as it is of essential relevance and required for the leaders of schools to urge them on new leadership practices.

Practices of Cancer Screening for Average-Risk Cancer Patients Among Primary Healthcare Center Physicians in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia.

Cancer screening programs exist in Saudi Arabia for some types of cancers. However, data on primary healthcare center (PHC) physicians' practices in referring patients for screening tests or procedures remain unclear. A cross-sectional study was conducted with a self-reported survey that included 141 PHC physicians affiliated with the Ministry of Health in the Al-Qassim region of Saudi Arabia. The primary outcome was the practice of recommending to average-risk patients screening tests for different types of cancers including breast, colorectal, cervical, prostate, and lung, and testing if sociodemographic, specialty, job level, years of experience, a family history of cancer, and patients encountered per day affect their decisions. Secondary outcomes were the barriers perceived by physicians to recommending a screening test. p-value <0.05 was considered significant. The study included 141 respondents, of which60.3% were males, and the mean age of the entire population was 35.7 ± 8.3 years. The rate of recommending cancer screening varied by the type of cancer, with screening for colorectal cancer being the most prominent (64.5%), followed by breast cancer (51.8%). Fear of finding cancer, poor patient compliance, and difficulty in scheduling the test were the most common patient, physician, and system-related barriers as perceived by PHC physicians.Male physicians were less likely to recommend patients for breast (0.10, 95%CI 0.04-0.23, p < 0.001) and cervical (0.26, 95%CI 0.08-0.78, p = 0.017) cancer screening. However, they were 3.74 times more likely to recommend prostate cancer screening (95%CI 1.20-11.68, p = 0.023) and 5.79 times more likely to request lung cancer screening (95%CI 1.27-26.39, p = 0.023). Level of education, specialty, and being a senior physician were factors associated with cervical cancer screening. Physicians who work in non-general practice specialties were morelikely to recommend cervical cancer screening than those who work in general practice (95%CI 0.04-0.48, p = 0.002). Senior physicians such as registrars/senior registrars and consultants were more likely to request or recommend a patient for breast cancer screening (2.85, 95%CI 1.11-7.35) and cervical cancer screening (6.35, 95%CI 2.10-019.19). Screenings for colorectal and breast cancer were the commonly recommended screening tests. Patients' fear of finding cancer, poor patient compliance, and delays or difficulty in scheduling the procedures were the commonly identified barriers as perceived by physicians that influenced physician decisions in referring patients for cancer screening. Our findings suggest that cancer screening rates may be improved by educating individuals on the benefit of early detection of cancers and providing assurance for them with regard to the availability of effective treatments. More research is needed on ways to overcome the obstacles physicians encounter and the outcomes of these measures with regard to improved screening practices.

Prevalence of post traumatic stress disorder post-COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare workers in the pediatric emergency department in Maternity and Children Hospital in Alqassim

Objective: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) post-COVID-19 pandemic among healthcare workers (HCWs) in pediatric emergency departments in Maternity and Children Hospital in Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among HCWs working in the pediatric emergency department in the Maternity and Children Hospital in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the HCWs using an online survey. The questionnaire included socio-demographic characteristics, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) to measure sleep quality, and the Impact of Event Scale (IES-R) to measure HCWs\&amp;apos; PTSD. Results: Of the 107 HCWs, 87.9% were females, and 56.1% were aged between 25 to 35 years. Around 29% of pediatric emergency HCWs were considered to have PTSD symptoms. Poor sleep quality was detected in 61.7% of HCWs. There was a significant association between PTSD symptoms and all domains of PSQI, including the total PSQI score. However, no significant relationship was observed between the level of PTSD and all socio-demographic variables. Conclusion: The prevalence of PTSD symptoms among pediatric emergency HCWs was 29%. PTSD greatly influences sleep quality, but there was no relevance with HCWs demographic profiles. Further longitudinal studies are necessary to establish the prevalence of PTSD and its effect on the sleep quality of HCWs in the study region.

Perception regarding routine childhood vaccinations: a cross-sectional study in Al-Qassim married population

Background: Vaccines are the most effective and risk-free health intervention available. Vaccination-related hesitancy is increasing in all countries, despite its global success. The current study aimed to assess the perception of the Qassim married population towards childhood vaccines and determine the factors affecting their decision regarding routine vaccination. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out using an online questionnaire (the SAGE group&amp;apos;s vaccine hesitancy scale). The questionnaire was distributed using Twitter and WhatsApp. To study the association between categorical variables, chi-sqaure test was used. Unpaired t-test was employed to compare the average and overall score for the Vaccine Attitude Scale between groups. Results: The questionnaires were completed by 416 respondents. Regarding vaccine hesitancy, 16.6% of the included parents were hesitant to get a vaccination for their children, and 7.93% refused vaccination with an 18.5% overall hesitancy/refusal. Responses showed an overall positive attitude towards childhood vaccinations. It was discovered that vaccine hesitancy and children&amp;apos;s vaccination status were significantly related, with 10% of the hesitant parents reporting that their children were never vaccinated compared to 0.86% of non-hesitant parents (p &amp;lt; 0.001). The overall attitude score was significantly higher in non-hesitant than hesitant respondents (42.2 ± 4.74 vs. 30.5 ± 7.28, p &amp;lt; 0.001). The most common reasons for vaccine hesitancy/ refusal were safety concerns (61%), lack of need (42.9%), and negative media information (41.6%). Vaccine hesitancy/refusal was less prevalent in males (36.6%) than females (63.4%), with a significantly higher overall score in males than females (41 ± 5.89 vs. 38.9 ± 8.05, p = 0.005). Conclusion: Findings from the current study showed moderate hesitancy and low refusal towards routine childhood vaccination in the married population in the Al-Qassim region and suggested a sound attitude towards routine vaccination. Awareness campaigns should be directed towards raising the knowledge regarding the importance of vaccination from an individual and community perspective to reduce hesitancy or refusal of vaccination.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Pediatric Physicians toward APGAR Score in Al-Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia

Background: Apgar score is a scoring system developed by Virginia Apgar in 1952 to assess newborns&amp;apos; health status. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of physicians covering delivery rooms toward APGAR score at the Ministry of Health Hospitals in Al-Qassim Province, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among pediatric physicians at different Ministry of Health Hospitals in Qassim province, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed among the targeted physicians using an online survey. The questionnaire includes socio-demographic data, a questionnaire that assesses knowledge toward APGAR score, and a questionnaire that measures the attitude and practice of APGAR score. Results: Among the 138 pediatric physicians involved in the study, 63% were males, and 38.4% were aged between 36 to 45 years old. The mean knowledge score was 6.04 (SD 1.17) out of 7 points. For attitude, the overall mean attitude score was 48.5 (SD 1.72) out of 60 points, with nearly all physicians (88.4%) estimated to have a positive attitude, and the rest were neutral (11.6%). Factors associated with increased knowledge were being more experienced, educated, and a consultant, while being a resident was associated with an improved attitude. Conclusion: The knowledge and attitude of pediatric physicians toward the APGAR score were sufficient. Older physicians with higher education and years of experience were likelier to demonstrate better knowledge. However, the attitude and practices toward the APGAR scores were more likely demonstrated by the resident physicians. More research is needed to shed more light on the knowledge and attitude of pediatric physicians in our region.