King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University For Health Sciences Research Articles

Medical Students’ Attitudes and Influential Factors Towards Conducting Medical Research

Background: Medical research has become an essential part of medical students’ curricula at several medical colleges in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess medical students' attitudes and identify factors influencing their willingness to conduct medical research. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2021 and April 2022 using the students' attitudes towards research and the students’ perceived influential factors toward participating in research activities questionnaires. A 5-Likert scale to calculate the average of the students’ responses, where 5 indicated ‘strongly agree’ and 1 indicated ‘strongly disagree’. The survey was distributed to medical students at the College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Saudi Arabia. Results: A total of 500 responses were collected from the students (67.2% male and 32.8% female). Most students agreed with the following statement: ‘Research is important for identifying and investigating problems in a subject matter’ (N=399, 79.8%). More than half of the students agreed with the following statement: ‘I am very interested in participating in research activities at the undergraduate level’ (N=318, 63.6%). The top three influential factors for conducting medical research were ‘to facilitate entry into competitive residency programs’, followed by ‘interest in specific research fields or medical topics’ and ‘to improve curriculum vitae (CV).’ Conclusion: The majority of the surveyed students showed a positive attitude towards conducting medical research in King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Saudi Arabia. Most students conduct research to gain a competitive edge and explore specialties of interest.

Evaluation of Problem-Based Learning in College of Medicine: An Indicator of Quality Education in a Hybrid Curriculum

Background. A culture of quality is believed to drive institutes toward excellence through feedback. Multiple surveys at educational institute help to get a deeper insight into institutional performance and curricular execution. Since problem-based learning (PBL) is an important component of the hybrid curriculum, thus stakeholders’ opinion on PBL satisfaction is worth discussing. This study intended to determine the trends in students’ satisfaction with PBL over the years and to report on the importance of curricular changes that can be incorporated based on students’ needs. Methods. This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted at the College of Medicine (COM), King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. All male and female medical students, using consecutive sampling technique, were included in the study. End-of-course evaluation reports for the academic years ranging from 2013 to 2019 on PBL satisfaction, with a response rate of ≥60%, were included in this study. Results. Overall, students at the COM, Jeddah were satisfied with PBL. A declining but satisfactory trend followed by a sharp rise in satisfaction was observed in this study. Pearson correlation reported a positive relationship between PBL problems, tutors, and PBL sessions (r = 0.82, p < 0.001 ). Conclusions. Transition from three sessions to two sessions per PBL case can be considered as an effective and efficient way of curricular execution. We found that the tutor, the case, and session dynamics were positively correlated after the incorporation of the feedback. Thus, highlighting the facts that inculcating a culture of responding to feedback can lead to innovations in medical teaching and can help to improve the curricular execution and students’ satisfaction.

Medical Students’ Attitudes and Influential Factors Towards Conducting Medical Research

Background: Medical research is becoming an essential part of medical students’ curricula in several medical colleges around Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to assess medical students' attitudes towards conducting medical research and identify their motives.
 
 Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that was conducted between December 2021 and April 2022 and used the Student Attitude Towards Research (SAR) scale and the students’ perceived influential factors toward participating in research activities questionnaire. A 5-Likert scale was used to assess the level of students’ agreement from ‘strongly disagree=1’, ‘disagree=2’, ‘neutral=3’, ‘agree=4’, to ‘strongly agree=5’. Demographic information such as gender, year of study, and previously published research was collected. The survey was distributed among medical students in the college of medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Jeddah and Riyadh campuses, Saudi Arabia. The chi-square test was used to compare categorical values and report any differences. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
 
 Results: A total of 500 responses were collected from the students (67.2% males and 32.8% females). Most students agreed with the following statements ‘Research is important for identifying and investigating problems in a subject matter’ (N=399, 79.8%) and ‘I am much interested in participating in research activities at the undergraduate level’ (N=318, 63.6%). There was a significant difference among students in responses to following statement: ‘I am always getting the chance to discuss about the scientific/academic research in my class) (P=0.022). Female students agreed more than male students that ‘faculty have adequate skills to handle research methodology’ (3.93±1.01 vs. 3.7±1.06, P=0.014). Furthermore, a significant difference was found in the following statement: ‘faculty members use research findings as a part of their teaching material’ (P <.001). The students agreed that their college has adequate infrastructure to organize research programs (N=321, 64.2%, P=0.005). The top four influential factors towards conducting medical research were ‘to facilitate entry into competitive residency programs’ (4.248) followed by ‘having an interest in specific research field or medical topic’ (4.226) and ‘to improve curriculum vitae (CV)’ (4.202) then ‘it is a necessary competency for future clinical work’ (4.164). A 5-Likert scale was used to calculate the average of the students’ responses where 5 indicates ‘strongly agree’ and 1 indicate ‘strongly disagree’.
 
 Conclusion: The students showed a positive attitude towards conducting medical research at the undergraduate level. The influential factors highlighted how students conduct research to advance their careers and explore their interest in a specific field or medical topic. This study is important for decision-makers, residency program directors, and research center directors to reconsider published research & research activities as a prerequisite for acceptance into competitive programs. Future studies ought to investigate if medical students pursue research activities after college, their attitudes, and influential factors as well as to investigate the research skills they have and how they acquired them.

Imposter syndrome and burnout: a study among medical students in King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, in Riyadh City

Background: Imposter syndrome (IS), characterized by an inability to internalize achievements despite objective success, leads to persistent selfdoubt and apprehension about revealing one's true capabilities. This study investigates the prevalence of burnout and IS and explores their interrelation among medical students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: In 2023, a cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of Medicine, KSAU-HS. The study encompassed a total of 1,000 medical students, with a sample size of 278 male and female students spanning the third to sixth years. Data was collected via selfadministered online questionnaires and statistically analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences program. The data was presented in terms of frequency and percentages. Results: Among the enrolled participants (n = 270), 203 (75.2%) were male, and the average age was 22.6 ± 11.6 years. The majority of participants, 221 (81.9%), were nonsmokers. The prevalence of IS within the study cohort was 128 (47.4%), while the prevalence of burnout risk stood at 203 (75.2%). Significantly, a noteworthy association between IS and burnout was established (p-value < 0.001). Conclusion: This study underscores the considerable prevalence of IS among medical students, where nearly half of the participants experienced this phenomenon. Additionally, a substantial proportion of participants faced burnout, with over two-thirds affected. The identified connection between IS and burnout points toward the importance of addressing both issues in order to promote the overall well-being and academic success of medical students.

Comparing Saudi Students’ Academic Performance Before and After Implementing E-Learning During The Covid-19 Pandemic in the Adult Nursing Course: A Mixed-Methods Study Dr. Sharifah Alsayed1 College of Nursing King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences Dr. Ebtsam Aly Abou Hashish2 College of Nursing K

Background and Aims: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic’s-imposed lockdown, e-learning was widely implemented to continue educational plans. Similarly, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) has implemented e-learning in all programs. This study compared nursing students’ academic performance in an adult nursing course before and after the implementation of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: It is a mixed-method design in which both quantitative and qualitative data are collected. Conve¬nience sampling was employed in the quantitative part, while purposive sampling was used in the qualitative part. A total of 140 students were included by comparing their academic grades in two semesters before and after implementing e-learning, while the qualitative part was conducted through focus groups using semi-structured interviews with 12 participants. Inferential statistics and content analysis were done for quantitative and qualitative data, respectively. Results: The academic transcripts showed higher grades in the theoretical domain with e-learning compared to on-campus, with a significant difference (t = -11.6, p<0.001). In contrast, the grades were significantly lower in the clinical domain with e-learning compared to on-campus (t= 15.7, p<0.001). Two themes emerged from the qualitative findings, which are: the lived e-learning experience and the lived on-campus experience. Conclusion: The qualitative findings of this study were parallel with the quantitative results, where participants reported a negative impact of the lack of clinical practice on their academic performance in clinical domains. On the other hand, participants reported high flexibility associated with e-learning, which contributed to improving their academic scores. It is highly recommended to adopt hybrid (blended) learning as a learning strategy, especially in delivering nursing curricula.

Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward seasonal influenza vaccine during the COVID-19 pandemic among students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences-Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Annual influenza vaccine is recommended among health professionals especially, health science undergraduates; although, studies suggest that there is a low level of vaccine coverage among health care undergraduates. Thus, the study aimed to investigate students' knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding the seasonal influenza vaccine at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional, unicentral study was carried out during the period of April to November 2021. A total of 341 validated questionnaires that included four sections were distributed in all four different colleges of KSAU-HS. Data management and analyses were carried out using Statistical Software for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Out of 341 respondents, 336 participants completed the full survey (98.53% completion rate). The majority of participants were males (67.6% and the most participants were from the college of medicine (60.4%). The mean knowledge score of students was found to be (11.3 ± 2.0) out of 14 points. The most common barrier to vaccination among healthcare students was not having enough time to take the vaccine (23.8%), while the second one was the COVID-19 pandemic (22.32%). The vaccination rate in 2020 was 103 (30.7%), while 235 (80.4%) students stated that they have received the vaccine previously. School/work requirements and the student's awareness of the vaccine's importance were the most common reasons for taking the influenza vaccine. Even though students showed a high level of knowledge and a positive attitude towards the influenza vaccine, they generally had a low level of vaccine uptake. To enhance immunization rates, we encourage vaccine campaigns in all healthcare colleges. Further studies are needed to identify influences on students' attitudes and practices regarding influenza vaccination.

Investigating the relationship of sleep quality and psychological factors among Health Professions students

BackgroundQuality sleep is critically imperative for facilitating learning and academic achievement among university students. Students are subject to several potential stressors during their academic journey which can pose far-reaching implications for their psychological well-being. A very limited number of studies have evaluated the association of sleep problems and psychological factors in health professions students. This research aimed at exploring relationship between sleep quality and psychological factors among Health Professions students. It is equally important to know the prevalence of such conditions so that necessary intervention could be set in place. MethodologyA cross-sectional descriptive research was conducted. The study targeted a group of 450 conveniently sampled health professions students at King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) to collect data pertinent to the research study. Five self-report questionnaires were utilized, including: sociodemographic and education background questionnaire (e.g., age, gender, marital status, college), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Patient Depression Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). ResultsThe prevalence of poor sleep quality (PSQI score > 5) among students was 69.6% (n = 313). PSQI components with showed most disturbances included subjective sleep quality, sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep disturbance and daytime dysfunction. Findings showed that 38.9% (n = 175) of the participants were depressed, 56.7% (n = 255) of students had severe stress, and 33.1% (n = 149) had mild to moderate and severe levels of anxiety. Additionally, there were statistically significant associations between sleep quality, depression, stress and anxiety (at p < 0.01). ConclusionThe findings of the present study establish a correlation between depression, stress, anxiety and sleep quality. Academic institutions should develop interventional program directed toward managing students’ academic related sleep and psychological concerns.

The Job Demands in Predicting Burnout During COVID-19 Among Teaching Faculty at KSAU-HS, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

PurposeThis study aimed to assess the burnout among faculty members of King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Jeddah, during the COVID-19 pandemic and investigate their adaptations to online teaching.Patients and MethodsThe study utilized a survey research design, and a validated questionnaire was e-mailed to faculty members. The Maslach Burnout Inventory – Educators Survey was used to assess burnout in three domains (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment), in addition to their adaptations to online teaching.ResultsA total of 112 faculty members completed the survey with a response rate of 25%. Females comprised 50.9% of the sample. Burnout assessment among faculty showed moderate emotional exhaustion and personal accomplishment. In contrast, the level of depersonalization was low. When assessing the impact of the shift to online education during the pandemic, 87.5% of the respondents reported increased confidence in online teaching and learning effectiveness.ConclusionFaculty members at KSAU-HS reported moderate emotional exhaustion. Fortunately, this had a moderate impact on students’ intellectual development and well-being. Most of the faculty feedback supported online teaching during the pandemic.

Awareness regarding COVID-19 and its effects on mental health among pre-professional health sciences students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for health sciences in Riyadh and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

In light of the outbreak caused by the COVID-19 and its impact on the physical and mental wellbeing, we explored the consequences of this pandemic on the mental health among pre-professional health sciences students and their awareness regarding the virus. A descriptive observational cross-sectional study was conducted at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Jeddah and Riyadh campuses. Data was collected from 770 participants using an online questionnaire, and statistical analysis was performed using SPSS. The majority of the participants (87.5%) considered governmental authorities as their main source of information, and therefore, they were up to date on the general information regarding COVID-19. For findings on mental health, it was found that 61.9% were exhibiting variant degrees of depression, as well as 50% expressing signs of extremely severe anxiety. However, 50.9% of the participants expressed no signs of stress during this pandemic. An association was found between gender and mental health showing females to have higher tendencies to express signs of extremely severe depression, anxiety, and stress. An association was also found between parents’ marital status and anxiety. Analysis revealed that participants with separated parents were the least among the participants to show no signs of anxiety, as well as reporting the highest numbers in the “extremely severe” anxiety category. With the increased awareness and higher than normal levels of the investigated mental illnesses, we advise that proper action should be considered to address this issue.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11356-022-20934-3.

Migraine Prevalence and Analysis of Dietary Habits in Relation to Headache in the Female Population: A Single-Center Study From Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

IntroductionLifestyle-related factors including dietary intake can significantly increase the chances of developing migraine. Some components of food items are thought to induce the release of vasoactive substances leading to the dilation of blood vessels, which in turn results in migraine episodes. This research aimed to assess the prevalence of migraine and examine the relation of the headache to the dietary patterns of female students and employees of King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) - Jeddah experiencing migraine attacks as well as to assess the relationship between the migraine attacks and the available dietary items served at the food outlets within the campus.MethodsTwo questionnaires were developed for this study. The first questionnaire was a short survey asking about the characteristics of headaches. This survey aimed to estimate the prevalence of migraine among female students and employees in KSAU-HS. Of the participants who filled the first questionnaire, those who met the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICDH-III) criteria for migraine were given a second questionnaire to further understand the characteristics of their migraine headaches and to assess lifestyle and diet-related aggravating factors.ResultsThe final sample size for the calculated prevalence was 410; 352 were students and 58 were faculty members. It has been found that 165 (40.24%) participants of the KSAU-HS female population met the criteria for migraine. Two (2.2%) reported an association between chocolate consumption and headaches and seven (7.8%) reported a significant association between caffeine and headaches. No specific association was perceived by the respondents between migraine attacks and the following food items: citrus fruits, pickles, cheese, and dairy products.ConclusionOur study revealed that the widespread trends for excessive consumption of coffee and caffeinated beverages at food outlets within the educational institution are occult triggers for headache attacks in a significant portion of students with migraine. The recent shift in dietary habits in our community for excessive consumption of coffee and other tyramine-rich food items has negative consequences on productivity and the economy. Our results can be conceivably extrapolated to reflect the effect of dietary habits on other streams of society, including companies, firms, schools, and workplaces that are driven by the new dietary trends.

Impacts of Changing the Curriculum Design on the Examination Results of Anatomy and Physiology Course.

IntroductionInnovating strategies have become a compulsion in all fields associated with improved outcomes. Similarly, an innovation was introduced in the curriculum design and content to be tested for the Anatomy and Physiology course at the College of Science and Health Professions (COSHP), King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), in the spring semester of 2020. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, until the spring semester of 2019, two examinations were conducted as continuous assessments (Midterm I and II), followed by a comprehensive Final examination. In the spring semester of 2020, these examinations were replaced with Block I, II, and III examinations, respectively, with modified content and weightage. The Final examination was comprehensive and included 24 Anatomy, 21 Physiology lectures, and three case-based learning (CBL) sessions, whereas Block III included only eight Anatomy, seven Physiology lectures, and 1 CBL session. Midterm I and II weighed 20% each with a comprehensive examination of 35%, while Block I, II, and III were all 25% each. This study focuses on the impact of the curriculum modifications on the results of written examinations for preprofessional students enrolled at Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Ahsa campuses.MethodsThis retrospective study included data from 2356 male and female students from Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al-Ahsa. Data included Midterm I and II grades and Final examination grades for spring semester 2019 and Block I, II, and III examination grades for spring semester 2021. The results of the spring semester 2021 examinations were compared with the spring semester 2019 examination. The spring semester of 2020 was skipped to avoid the effect of online examinations during the COVID-19 restriction period. Data were analyzed using the statistical software SPSS version 23.0 (IBM Corporation, Armonk, NY, USA). Coefficient of variation (CV) compared spring semester 2019 and spring semester 2021 examination outcomes. The findings were analyzed concerning data related to gender, student groups, and campuses. An independent t-test of proportion was used to compare the CVs for spring 2019 and 2021.ResultsThe overall comparison showed better results in the spring semester of 2021 (p-value < 0.01). Campus-wise, the results were significantly better for Riyadh (p-value < 0.01). The gender-wise study showed better performance from male students (p-value < 0.01). Concerning campus and gender, the results of male and female students of the Riyadh campus came out to be highly significant (p-value < 0.01).ConclusionsChanging from Midterms to the Block system significantly improved the Block III examination results in spring semester 2021, particularly at the Riyadh campus. Overall, the changes remained helpful to all students. Further studies are needed to investigate the long-term effect of the curriculum changes.

Cervical Cancer and Its Screening: Assessing the Knowledge, Awareness, and Perception among Health and Allied Students

Background. Cervical cancer (CC) is the fourth most common cancers affecting women. It being preventable, a robust and effective national education cum screening program is the key to curb its increasing incidence. Objectives. This cross-sectional study was designed to investigate the knowledge, awareness, and perceptions (KAP) towards CC etiology, its signs and symptoms and risk factors among Health Professions Students’ (HPSs) in King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Jeddah Campus. Methods. Data was collected using predesigned and validated study questionnaire. The respondents’ KAP were compared across gender, colleges, and levels of education. Data analysis was done using SPSS v 20.0 (IBM Corporation) at 95% CI. Results. A total of 580 HPS responded to the survey, 128 (22.1%) were males, while 452 (77.9%) were females with the mean age ± SD 20.36 ± 1.74 years. Although 70% of the respondents had heard about CC, but only 27.9% and 18.6% knew that CC is common among women and it is transmissible, respectively. Additionally, the knowledge of relationship between viral infection and vaccination was also dismal (34.1%) and only 18.6% of the students had knowledge that CC was a transmissible disease. Interestingly, students from college of medicine had more knowledge and awareness about CC ( p &lt; 0.05 ). Conclusions. Since HPSs had considerable low knowledge about CC, we identify the dire need to implement an effective education programs, curricular activities, and awareness campaigns for HPSs as well as general population to augment the learning process effectively.

Using Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure to evaluate educational environments in Saudi Arabia

Background: Students&amp;apos; behavior is influenced by their learning environment. Thus, the study aimed to compare the perception of the learning environment of pre-clinical medical students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAUHS) based on their stream, gender, and batch using Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at KSAUHS. Data were collected from all pre-clinical high school entries (stream1) and postgraduate entries (stream2) in the third and fourth years. The questionnaire was distributed to participants simultaneously using a non-probability, convenient sampling technique. Results: The questionnaire was completed by 290 students. There were 162 (55.9%) males and 128 (44.1%) females. Based on their educational background, 237 (81.7%) were stream1 and 53 (18.7%) were stream2, and batches 14 (39.3%) and 15 (60.7%). The overall score of this study was 110/200 and there was no statistically significant difference between genders and batches. The only statically significant difference was within streams; stream2 total DREEM score and students&amp;apos; perception of learning was lower than stream1. Conclusion: The areas of improvement and research were seen by comparing various batches, genders, and streams of preclinical medical students, through the application of the DREEM inventory. Further research involving the perception of clinical year students is required.

Benefits and challenges of fostering research-focused communities of practice at a specialised health sciences university: An exploratory study.

Structured undergraduate research, whether mandatory or elective, provides undergraduate students with a unique opportunity to develop their research skills. However, the majority of the students undertake individual research projects rather than working in a group. This study explores the perceived benefits and challenges of fostering research focused communities of practice at a specialised health sciences university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This cross-sectional study was conducted at the College of Medicine, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee at the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC). A self-administered questionnaire was developed that assessed the perceived benefits and challenges of doing research in groups. Data were collected using a mixture of a dichotomous and a 5-point Likert scale and were analysed using Statistical Program for Social Scientists (SPSS). Of the 380 medical students invited to participate in this study, 307 completed the questionnaire, with a response rate of 80.7%. The majority of the medical students (87%) agreed on the importance of teamwork in conducting medical research. Almost all medical students (96%) believed patience and tolerance were required to make the team successful. Significant differences were found between junior and senior medical students regarding their perceived benefits (P-value = 0.0001) and challenges (P-value = 0.0007). Although most of the students believed that doing research in groups is essential and that working within such groups enhances their research knowledge, forming these research groups was not without problems. The need for patience and tolerance to keep the group together, the issue of free-riders and the difficulties related to which research group to join were some of the challenges students encountered.

Prevalence of the Alarming Symptoms of Eating Disorders Among KSAU-HS Students, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Introduction: Eating disorders are considered one of the severe major illnesses which may lead to serious conditions and possibly fatality. They cause severe disturbances in a persons eating behaviours. Aim: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of symptoms of eating disorders among medical students at the King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS)who were at the basic science level. Results: Of the 249 students, 75.1% were males. 44.2% of the students were either overweight or obese. The prevalence of students with symptoms of eating disorders according to the EAT-26 questionnaire was 26.5%. No significant differences were observed in the prevalence of eating disorders in terms of age and gender. Conclusion: The prevalence of eating disorders with symptoms among medical students was 26.5%. Eating disorders(ED) were widely prevalent in overweight or obese students but there was no significance in terms of age and gender. A call for future research that could support and expand the understanding of the prevalence of ED in our region and what factors cause it to be warranted. Keywords: Eating disorder, EAT-26, prevalence, KSAU-HS students

Assessment of Radiological Sciences Students' and Interns' Long-Term Retention of Theoretical and Practical Knowledge: A Longitudinal Panel Study.

PurposeThis study examined the long-term retention of radiological sciences’ theoretical and practical knowledge among two cohorts of Saudi male and female students and interns at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA)-Jeddah campus.MethodsA longitudinal panel study was conducted among fourth-year radiological sciences undergraduate students and interns at KSAU-HS, KSA-Jeddah campus. The students were invited to voluntarily retake three onsite 40-multiple-choice-questions midterm exams after one-year interval from their initial midterm exams, whereas the interns retook the same three exams after two years interval. One of the three exams was for a practical course, while the other two were for theoretical courses (ie, one incorporated a blending learning instructional strategy and the second employed a passive learning strategy). The initial exams’ scores were retrieved. Paired samples t-test was used to compare paired test scores, and one-way analysis of variance was used to examine differences in the retention percentages between the three courses.ResultsOut of all 42 fourth-year students and interns, 35 (83.3%) participated. The one-year and two-year retake exams’ mean scores were significantly lower than the initial exams’ mean scores for the three courses and among students and interns (P < 0.05). The one-to-two years retention of practical knowledge and theoretical knowledge via a blended learning instructional approach was 61.5–78.6%, more than the retention of theoretical knowledge via a passive learning approach (47.6–64.1%). The one-year retention of practical and theoretical information was significantly higher among male students (64.1–78.6%) than females (47.6–62.9%).ConclusionStudents and interns showed higher long-term retention of practical knowledge and theoretical knowledge using a blended-learning instructional approach than passive learning approach, with male students showing higher long-term knowledge retention than females. It is essential to incorporate innovative teaching strategies that promote long-term knowledge retention, such as active and blended learning.

Evaluation of Radiation Exposure in Open Dental Clinics Using Thermoluminescence Dosimeters and Questionnaires.

Aim:The aim of this study was to evaluate radiation exposure in dental open clinics in King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) using thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs) to check if it exceeds the annual assigned exposure limit and to assess students' practices regarding radiation protection measures and their knowledge regarding the application of digital remote-control settings and TLDs.Materials and Methods:This pilot institutional-based observational study was conducted among the clinical year students and interns at KSAU-HS College of Dentistry open clinical areas using TLDs and questionnaires. Sixteen lithium fluoride TLDs (TLD-100) were distributed evenly in the clinical areas occupied by clinical year dental students and interns for 24 working days from September 15 to October 20, 2019. Each TLD was labeled with a serial number and fixed at the assigned clinic of each specialty. The TLDs were placed in a zigzag manner at the right corner of the selected clinic to prevent overlapping of the area coverage by each dosimeter.Results:The mean monthly TLD readings were found to be 69.265 uSv with a higher mean value in the female clinical area (74.2975 uSv) than the male clinical area (64.234 uSv). Taking into account the 8 months of clinical exposure during the academic year, the expected annual radiation exposure would be 0.554 mSv which is significantly lower than the annual limit of radiation exposure recommended by the International Commission on Radiological Protection, i.e., 1 mSv.Conclusion:TLD readings concluded that radiation exposure was within safe limits with an estimation of 0.544 mSv per year. However, students require further education regarding protective and safety measures and the utilization of radiation equipment.Clinical Significance:The lack of studies regarding the amount of radiation exposure from dental imaging and the safety of intraoral radiographic machines present in open clinics in any educational institute necessitates conducting this kind of study.

Voluntary blood donation among female health care university students in Saudi Arabia, knowledge and status.

Context:Blood donation is an essential lifesaving procedure. There is a continuous effort to supply the high demand in hospitals.Aims:To assess the current status, knowledge, and attitudes of female health care students in King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) regarding blood donation.Settings and Design:A cross-sectional study was done with students in the female campus of KSAU-HS in Riyadh.Methods and Material:The sample was categorized based on the college and year of study. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed during the first semester of the 2018–2019 academic year to an estimated 20%–25% of students per batch.Statistical analysis used:Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 22 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL).Results:A total of 302 students completed the questionnaire with a median age of 21 years and a range of 18–30 years. Only 14.6% of the sample previously donated blood, with half of this group donating more than once. Just less than half (48.7%, n = 147) have been exposed previously to a university campaign related to blood donation. The majority (74.5%, n = 225) knew their blood type, small proportions (16.6%, n = 50) and (10.9%, n = 33) reported knowing family members or friends requiring blood products. More than half (57.6%) of the students admitted not having sufficient knowledge regarding blood donation, and the majority (75.1%) were not aware of the quantity of blood collected during a donation. Two-thirds, 31.4% and 32.1% agree and strongly agree, respectively, that blood donation is a duty that every individual should perform. Just more than half (53%) of the students strongly agreed that they are motivated to donate blood on moral or religious grounds.Conclusion:The proportion of prior blood donation in the sample was low. This is due, in part, to inadequate knowledge about the donation process. Given that many students felt motivated to donate, it is possible that raising awareness through educational interventions could increase donations in female health care students.

Dietary Habits of Saudi Medical Students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background and Aim: Young adults including college students, frequently have an unhealthy lifestyle and diet. In the current study, we aimed to assess the dietary habits and physical activity, as well as the relationship with gender, economic status, and academic level of Saudi medical students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: The design was a cross-sectional survey study. Data was collected with a validated self-administered questionnaire. Results: The sample size realized as 259 participants, with just more than half of the sample (54%) male, and a mean age of 22±2.12 years. The majority (95.2%) of the male group reported consuming fast foods compared to 80.7% of the female group. For both genders, fast foods were mostly consumed during dinner. The prevalence of consuming fried foods and pastries were higher in the male and high-income groups compared to the female and low-income groups (64.1% and 66.7% vs. 50% and 45.7%, respectively, p-value

Knowledge, attitude, and practices regarding dietary habits among medical and non-medical university students.

Background:Medical students even though being aware of the importance of well-balanced nutrition do tend to have laxity in practicing it themselves leading to poor nutrition. The aim of this study was to compare the awareness and knowledge of dietary habits among medical and non-medical students.Methods:This cross-sectional study was carried out in two universities in the Jeddah province, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) and King Abdulaziz University (KAU), Jeddah over 6 months. A self-administered online questionnaire was employed to assess the knowledge and attitude of the dietary habits among the students.Results:The number of students who responded positively to the survey was 386, the mean age was 21.5 ± 2.10. 310 (80.3%) of which were males while 76 (19.7%) were females by a ratio of 4.07:1. Most of the participants were single (95.9%); 238 (87.6%) participants lived with their family and 272 (70.5%) participants were in the college of medicine. Among the medical students, 41.9% did exercise “sometimes,” 57.4% identified breakfast as an important meal of the day, and 14.7% were smokers.Conclusion:In our study, we found that the medical students were having a higher level of awareness about the dietary and lifestyle habits but it was not reflected in their practice which needed to be taken care of.