General Population Of Jeddah Research Articles

General population knowledge about osteoarthritis and its related risk factors in Jeddah Saudi Arabia.

Objectives:To identify the knowledge gap and misconceptions about osteoarthritis (OA) and its risk factors among the general population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.Methods:This is a cross-sectional study conducted Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between 11-13 April, 2019. The study was approved by King Abdullah International Medical Research Center. A representative sample of the public in well-known mall was asked to complete the questionnaire to assess their knowledge regarding OA. The questionnaire consisted of 3 parts: 1) demographic data, 2) general knowledge regarding OA, and 3) a quiz of 20 questions. A descriptive analysis was carried out with t-test and F-test-based method.Results:The study had 1238 respondents. Approximately 55% of them were females, with 51.8% between the ages of 18 to 29. Approximately 62% held a bachelor’s degree and 63% had a family member or a friend afflicted with OA. Relatives and friends were the main source of information regarding OA. Only 37% correctly identified the mechanism behind OA. The mean score for the 20-item quiz was 9.84. No significant differences were found when comparing scores of males and females or those of age groups. However, significant differences in scores were identified between respondents of varying educational levels (p<0.001), participants’ knowledge of the mechanism leading to OA (p<0.001), information sources (p<0.001), and knowing someone with it (p<0.001).Conclusion:The results of our study suggest a low level of knowledge regarding OA among Jeddah population. Many misconceptions regarding OA were identified, so more information be brought to the public.

Assessment of the level of awareness about paediatric cataract among the general population of Jeddah

Assessment of the level of awareness about paediatric cataract among the general population of Jeddah

Awareness, knowledge, and attitude toward nonmelanoma skin cancer and actinic keratosis among the general population of western Saudi Arabia.

Background:This study evaluated the levels of awareness, knowledge, and attitude, including sun-protection habits, toward basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis among the Saudi population.Materials and Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia using a 12-item survey concerning the knowledge and awareness of basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis, as well as associated preventive measures. A Chi-square test was used to determine associations among variables.Results:The majority of participants were unaware of basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis (80.7%), while 8.6% were aware of both, and 9.8% and 1% were aware of only basal cell carcinoma or actinic keratosis, respectively. The majority of participants who were educated up to high school level had no knowledge of either condition (96%, P < 0.0001). Among participants with high levels of awareness of basal cell carcinoma and actinic keratosis, medical practitioners were identified as the main source of information (72.5%, P < 0.0001, and 70.6%, P < 0.0001, respectively). The majority of participants whose knowledge of the relationship between sun exposure and skin cancer was insufficient also lacked sufficient awareness of either basal cell carcinoma or actinic keratosis (92.6%, P < 0.0001). The majority of participants (62.8%) declared using sunscreen “rarely”.Conclusion:This study showed a low level of knowledge about the risks associated with sun exposure and suitable protection methods, with only a small fraction of participants declaring a regular use of sunscreen. Public education campaigns are required to increase the awareness of cancer risks and protection methods among the Saudi population.

Awareness on the association between skin aging and smoking: Impact on smoking quitting

Aim: This study aims to evaluate the public's knowledge and awareness of the association between cigarette smoking and skin aging in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted by distributing a questionnaire to the general population of Jeddah across different age groups in 2018. Data were organized using a frequency distribution table, and analysis was done using Chi-square test. Results: Among 2443 participants, 68.2% were female and 12.6% were current smokers. More than half (64%) of the participants answered correctly that smoking increases facial aging. Slightly higher number of nonsmokers responded correctly than current and former smokers. There was a statistically significant difference between gender and the response to the association of smoking and skin aging, with majority of the females (71%) responding correctly (P Conclusion: The society's lack of knowledge about the association between cigarette smoking and skin aging needs more attention. Knowledge needs to be spread by prompting health campaigns and by the participation of health authorities to make more effective public health policies against smoking.

Awareness of Vitamin D Deficiency among the General Population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Background During the last decade, vitamin D status was a major concern in the health and biomedical fields. This study assessed the level of awareness and knowledge regarding vitamin D and investigated the factors associated with the level of awareness such as knowing general facts about vitamin D, sources, benefit, and consequences of its deficiency. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted among the general population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, above the age of 18 years who were in 3 malls during the period of August and September 2017. A self-administrated questionnaire in paper forms was utilized and was divided into two parts to collect data. It was designed by the authors after revising the previous studies and validated by three pediatric consultants. An ethical approval was obtained from the ethical committee in King Abdulaziz University. We did an initial sample and tested it with the Cronbach test. The questionnaire had 2 parts with 19 questions. The first part was demographic information, and the second part was general information about vitamin D. An ethical approval was obtained from the ethical committee in King Abdulaziz University. Each participant received explanations about the aim of the study, and a verbal consent was taken from participants. The scoring system was as follows: for each right answer, 1 score was given and for wrong answer, 0 score was given, and the overall score was 14. The collected data were statistically analyzed using descriptive statistics using IBM SPSS statistics for windows version 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). Result Out of 1022 participants, 472 (46.1%) were aged 18–28 years, 830 (82.1%) were of Saudi ethnicity, 702 (68.7%) had a university degree, 275 (26.9%) attended high school, more than half were married (55.6%), and 54.4% had children. The majority of the participants agreed that vitamin D is important in the maintenance of bone and tooth health (88.4%). It is important in the maintenance of calcium and phosphates (76.6%), and it strengthens immunity (69.4%). Of the total participants, 86.2% were aware that sunlight exposure encourages vitamin D production in the skin. The overall knowledge mean score was 5.9 ± 1.2 (39.3%). Conclusion This study highlighted a high level of inadequate knowledge of vitamin D deficiency among participants. There was a significant association between knowledge level and education level. The awareness of vitamin D deficiency is high regarding its benefits. The study revealed that participants who did not have children had the highest score for benefits. Nongovernment organizations and social workers may work together with government health-care organization to teach parents and children about the uses and benefits of vitamin D.

Basic Life Support Knowledge Among a Nonmedical Population in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Cross-Sectional Study.

BackgroundProviding basic life support (BLS) at the site of an accident is crucial to increase the survival rates of the injured people. It is especially relevant when health care is far away.ObjectiveThe aim of our study is to assess the BLS knowledge level of the Saudi Arabian population and identify influencing factors associated with level of knowledge about BLS.MethodsOur study is a cross-sectional descriptive study, which was conducted using a self-administered online questionnaire derived from the BLS practice test. The Saudi population was the target population. The questionnaire was divided into two parts: one contained demographic data and the second part contained questions to test the population’s perception about how to perform BLS techniques properly. The data were collected between July and August 2017. Statistically significant differences were defined as those with a P value <.05, and a score of five or more was considered a passing score on the second part. We used SPSS version 21 for data analysis.ResultsOur study included 301 participants. Our participants’ BLS online exam scores ranged from 0 to 10, with a mean of 4.1 (SD 1.7). Only 39.2% (118/301) of the participants passed the test. The percentage of bachelor’s degree or higher holders constituted 60.1% (181/301) of the study population. In addition, higher income was significantly associated with higher scores on the test (P=.04).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated that the theoretical knowledge level of BLS among the general population in Jeddah was below average. There is a critical need to increase the public’s exposure to BLS education through raising awareness campaigns and government-funded training programs that aim to curb the incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest mortalities in the Saudi community.

Knowledge and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS among the general population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In contrast to most regions of the world where a decline of the HIV epidemic can be seen, data from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region suggests increasing incidence among key populations in the region. Accurate data collection has long been limited by social, cultural, and religious taboos. Understanding knowledge levels and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS is an important component to design adequate and culturally appropriate awareness and prevention programs. A survey was conducted including 3841 participants during a series of public HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns from 2013 to 2015 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Participants completed a questionnaire including socio-demographic data, and questions around knowledge and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS. A knowledge score was created. Frequencies were calculated for all variables, mean knowledge scores were compared using non-parametric tests. Categorical variables were compared using Chi-squared test. The mean knowledge score was 5.2 out of 9 possible points. Respondents in the age class 19-25, respondents with university degrees, and those who know people living with HIV/AIDS had higher scores. Overall the attitude toward people living with HIV/AIDS was negative, more than 40% suggested that HIV positive people should be isolated and less than 20% would support a marriage with an HIV positive person. Negative attitudes were more common among people in older age groups, with a lower educational background, and respondents that did not know anyone living with HIV/AIDS. Knowledge gaps and negative attitudes of the general public toward people living with HIV/AIDS have been identified and can be used to tailor educational campaigns in Saudi Arabia.

Psychobehavioural responses to the 2014 Middle East respiratory syndrome-novel corona virus (MERS CoV) among adults in two shopping malls in Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia.

Sporadic cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome caused by a novel corona virus (MERS-CoV) were first detected in Saudi Arabia in June 2012. The number of cases was highest during April and May 2014. To assess determinants of psychobehavioural responses among the general population in Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia, a cross-sectional survey was conducted at the end of June 2014. Data included sociodemographic characteristics, level of anxiety, protective measures and social avoidance responses. A total of 358 participants completed the questionnaire; 58.4% were female, and the age range was 18-72 years. None of the participants was diagnosed with MERS-CoV. More than half (57.7%) recorded a moderate anxiety score using a visual analogue scale. Anxiety level was significantly associated with increased perception of susceptibility to infection and social avoidance behaviours related to travel and being in public places.

Evaluation of Head and Neck Cancer Awareness and Screening Status in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. Early detection is a key determinant of HNC prognosis. Hence, raising awareness of this disease may improve survival rates. The present study evaluated the level of awareness and screening status for HNC in the general population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. An e-questionnaire was distributed during our HNC awareness campaign at the Red Sea Mall in Jeddah. The questions assessed HNC knowledge and screening status among participants. Of the 112 respondents, 68% indicated that they had no knowledge of HNC. Social media was the major source of information (39%) for respondents. The majority (40%) believed that it was the joint responsibility of dentists, dental hygienists, and general physicians to screen for HNC; 82% had never been screened. Knowledge and awareness of HNC must be increased in the general population and among dental health professionals.

Knowledge about urology in the general population of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction:The knowledge of the general population about the medical specialties is not well studied in our community. Our aim is to explore the amount of knowledge known about urology by the general population.Materials and Methods:A questionnaire was completed by 154 respondents in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. After measuring the amount of knowledge in our population, we looked forward to compare it with English as well as French speaking population in North America (NA). We translated to Arabic the same questionnaire used in their study. Two extra questions were added to further serve our aim.Results:Of the 154 respondents, 66% (102) said that they know little or nothing about urology, and 43% (66) did not know that urology involves surgery. When asked to mention three diseases within the field of urology, only 37% (57) were able to do so. Fourteen percent (21) were unable to mention even one disease. When asked about naming modalities of treatment in urology, 67% (104) were able to mention one or more. The rest were unable to mention even one modality. Most of the wrong answers were related to mixing urology with anatomically related fields rather than pronunciation similarity. Most of the results were better when compared to the studies done in NA.Conclusion:Although significant proportion of our population know little about the field of urology, the overall result is better when compared to North American population. The clarity of Arabic terminology related to the field may explain the difference.