Ministry Of National Guard Health Affairs Research Articles

A Cross-sectional Study Based on the Assessment of the Radiation dose for Medical Radiation Workers

Background: A monitoring for radiological technologists and radiation workers must be implemented to ensure the radiation safety. Aims: The aim of our study was to measure the occupational radiation dose for medical workers from the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, Nuclear Medicine, Dental Services, Endoscopy, and Surgery at King Abdulaziz Medical City (KAMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Materials & Methods: This study was conducted at KAMC, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Across-sectional study and a suitably and structured questionnaire was adapted from the previous similar studies and monitored radiation doses designed in line with the study's objectives were collected among the different medical workers. A total of 223 medical radiation workers were involved in this study, and descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data. Results: It is noted that the diagnostic radiology department recorded the highest value of effective dose followed by cardiac catheterization laboratory and nuclear medicine and so on. The measured amount of effective dose for diagnostic radiology, cardiac catheterization laboratory, nuclear medicine, dental services, endoscopy, and surgery at KAMC was found to be 14.35, 5.23, 4.56, 3.88, 3.52, and 1.87 mSv, respectively. Conclusions: This study provide an evidence that the occupational radiation dose for all the monitored departments at KAMC are well below the international recommended dose limit (20 mSv).

Level of Control of Dyslipidemia Among Patients Followed in Family Medicine Clinics in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

BackgroundDyslipidemia is a well-established primary risk factor leading to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). Treatment with lifestyle modification and lipid-lowering agents has been shown to reduce ASCVD morbidity and mortality.ObjectivesTo explore the level of dyslipidemia control among patients followed in family medicine (FM) clinics and describe the prescribing pattern of lipid-lowering agents.Materials and methodsThis is a chart review cross-sectional observational study conducted over 382 patients who were followed in FM clinics at King Abdulaziz Medical City for National Guard, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from January 2016 to January 2019. The data were extracted from the electronic medical record system (BESTCare) and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 23 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) to look for the association.ResultAll patients had a reduction in their lipid parameters over the three years follow-up period. The mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) for the total sample was (2.783 ± 0.850) mmol/L. 82.1% were using a statin alone, 6% were using statin plus fenofibrate, and 12.8% were switched from one statin to another. Those who had statin plus fenofibrate and those switched from one statin to another had the most reduction in their LDL, TC, and TG.ConclusionMost of the patients visiting the Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs (MNG-HA), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, showed a continuous reduction in their lipid profile over the follow-up period; with better control for high-risk patients. Many factors may have contributed to the reduction, like the number of clinic visits, dietician, and health educator visits, along with the type of medication used.

Liraglutide effects on glycemic control and weight in patients with type 2 diabetes Mellitus: A real-world, observational study and brief narrative review

BackgroundGlycemic control and weight gain are two essential considerations in the pharmacological management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Pharmacological agents are effective in lowering blood glucose levels but may result in significant weight gain. Liraglutideeffectively maintains glycemic control while reducingweight. MethodsThis is a real-world study and brief narrative review of the effects of liraglutide on glycemic control and weight in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The study uses data extracted from the electronic health record of the Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs. ResultsIn this study of 348 subjects, there was a statistically significant reduction in hemoglobin A1c of 0.9% (P < .0001) and weight of 2.3 kg (P < .0001). The majority (77.3%) were on concomitant insulin.Subjects with a baseline hemoglobin A1c greater than 9% had a significantly greater reduction than those below 9% (−0.7%;P < .0001). Those with a weight more than 100 kg had a significantly greater reduction than those below 100 kg (-0.9 kg;P = .0096). ConclusionIn this real-world, observational study, liraglutide was shown to be effective in improving glycemic control and reducing weight in adult patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

The effect of marital status on stage at diagnosis and survival in Saudis diagnosed with colorectal cancer: cancer registry analysis

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common cancer in males and third in females in Saudi Arabia, with the majority (66%) diagnosed at a late stage. We evaluated the effect of marital status on stage at diagnosis and CRC survival. We hypothesized that married patients would be more likely to present at an early stage and have higher survival than unmarried patients. The Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNG-HA) cancer registry was used to identify patients diagnosed with CRC from 2009 to 2017. A competing risk analysis was performed to assess the 5-year CRC-specific survival, adjusting for potential confounders. The Kaplan–Meier method and the Cox regressions were used to assess survival. Two-thirds (76.50%) of the 936 CRC patients were married, 11.64% were unmarried, and 11.86% had an unknown marital status. With multiple imputation-based analysis, the multivariate analysis indicated that unmarried patients were 52% more likely to present at an advanced stage [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.52; 95% CI 1.33–1.73], and had a 30% higher risk of death due to CRC compared to the married patients (aHR 1.30; CI 1.17, 1.44). Future CRC screening and survivorship programs should assess the needs of the vulnerable unmarried population. Interventions supporting the early detection of CRC in this population may be beneficial in the long term and lead to improved cancer outcomes.

Impact of Drug Use Policy on the Appropriate Use of Direct Acting Antiviral Agents for Hepatitis C in Saudi Arabia.

Background:Ministry of National Guard–Health Affairs in Saudi Arabia developed a new policy for the use of direct antiviral agents (DAAs) for hepatitis C. The present study was conducted to evaluate prescribers' compliance and the impact of the policy on DAAs appropriate use.Materials and Methods:This study was conducted at King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The study compares patients' data during 1 year before and 1 year after policy initiation. The primary outcomes were compliance to monitoring parameters, appropriateness of treatment and treatment eligibility. Secondary outcomes included sustained virologic response at 12 weeks, documentation of potential drug–drug interactions and treatment costs. Independent samples t-test and Chi-square test were used when applicable. A P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:One hundred and three patients were included in analysis (46 before and 57 after policy). Prescriber compliance to baseline monitoring parameters was 67.4% before policy and 82.5% after-policy (P = 0.076). International normalized ratio (INR) was requested in 84.8% of cases before policy compared to 96.5% after-policy (P = 0.036). Treatment options offered to patients were appropriate in 52.2% of cases before policy and in 82.5% after-policy (P = 0.001).Conclusion:There is a significant improvement in the baseline monitoring of INR. Treatment options offered after policy implementation were significantly more appropriate.

Favipiravir and Hydroxychloroquine Combination Therapy in Patients with Moderate to Severe COVID-19 (FACCT): An Open-Label, Multicentre, Randomised, Controlled Trial

Background: No antiviral drug has been proven effective for the treatment of patients with moderate-to-severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Favipiravir and hydroxychloroquine were introduced as potential antiviral agents to treat patients with COVID-19.Methods: We conducted an investigator-initiated, multicentre, open-label, randomised trial involving hospitalised patients with confirmed moderate-to-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection at nine hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Eligible patients were adult with moderate-to-severe COVID-19 defined as oxygen saturation (Sao2) of 94% or less while breathing ambient air or significant clinical symptoms with chest X-ray changes requiring hospital admission. Randomisation was in a 1:1 ratio to receive standard care (control group) or standard care plus favipiravir and hydroxychloroquine. The favipiravir loading dose was 1800 mg twice daily on day 1, then 800mg twice daily for nine days and hydroxychloroquine as 400mg twice daily, followed by 200mg twice daily for days 2-5. The primary outcome was time to clinical improvement of two points (from the status at randomisation) on a seven-category ordinal scale or live discharge from the hospital within 14 days. Analyses were done in an intention-to-treat population of patients to assess the primary and secondary endpoints. The trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04392973).Findings: From May 2020 to Jan 2021, 254 patients were enrolled; 129 were assigned to standard of care and 125 patients to the combination of favipiravir and hydroxychloroquine. The mean age was 52·65 ±13·06 years, 59·4% were men, and 229 (90·15%) required supplemental oxygen at randomisation (with or without non-invasive ventilation). The time to clinical improvement was not significantly different between the two groups; median of 9 days (95%CI: 8, 12) in the treatment group and 7 days (95%CI: 6, 10) in the control group (HR:0·845; 95% CI 0·617 to 1·157; p-value = 0·29). The median duration of hospitalisation among patients discharged on or before day 14 was 9 days (95%CI: 8, 12) for the treatment group and 8 days (95%CI: 7, 10) for the control group with a p-value of 0·42. The 28-day mortality was not significantly different between the two groups, 9 (7·63%) in the treatment group vs 13 (10·32%) in the control group; p-value=0·45. The most prevalent adverse events were headache, elevation in ALT, and the prolonged QTc interval in the treatment group.Interpretation: The combination of favipiravir and hydroxychloroquine did not result in a statistically significant clinical benefit in patients with moderate-to-severe COVID-19. No new safety signals were recognised for both medications.Trial Registration: This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT04392973, May 19, 2020.Funding Statement: King Abdullah International Medical Research Center, Saudi Arabia.Declaration of Interests: All authors declare no competing interests.Ethics Approval Statement: This trial was approved by the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA). Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNGHA) and Ministry of Health (MOH). The trial was overseen by an independent data and safety monitoring board (DSMB). The trial was done according to the Declaration of Helsinki principles and the International Conference on Harmonization-Good Clinical Practice guidelines.

Cost Analysis of Clinical Compounding in Saudi Arabia: Antibiotic Pediatrics Formulations

International Journal of Pharmacology and Clinical Sciences,2019,8,3s,s7-s10.DOI:10.5530/ijpcs.2019.8.37Published:November 2019Type:Research ArticleAuthors:Yousef Ahmed Alomi, Malika Alhadab, Faiz Bahadig, Mohammad Jabir Al Harbi, Mona Lubbad, and Ebtesam Nazal Author(s) affiliations:Yousef Ahmed Alomi*, General Administration of Pharmaceutical Care, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Malika Alhadab, Head, Pharmacy Services, Alyamma Hopsital, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Faiz Bahadig, Informatics Pharmacist, Pharmaceutical Care Department, King Abdul-Aziz Medical, City-WR-Jeddah, Ministry of National Guard, Saudi Arabia. Mohammad Jabir Al Harbi, Neonatology and Pediatrics Clinical Pharmacist, Pharmaceutical Care Services, King Abdulaziz Medical City-Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Saudi Arabia. Mona Lubbad, Former Head, Extemporaneous Preparation Unit, Pharmacy services, Alyamma Hopsital, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Ebtesam Nazal, Head, Extemporaneous Preparation Unit, Pharmacy Services, Alyamma Hopsital, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Abstract:Objectives: The aim of this study to explore the cost analysis of selected pediatrics antibiotics formularies in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: It is a retrospective cost analysis of pediatrics formulations at 300-beds pediatrics and maternity hospital in Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. The pharmacy section received the specific formulation from physician then the expert pharmacist applied the international standard of clinical compounding through providing to healthcare staff over eight hours per days for five days per a week. The pediatrics formulations consisted of selected four antibiotics (Nitrofurantoin, Oseltamivir, Chloroquine and Clindamycin). The analysis of the cost included the variable expenses included personal cost, material and supply cost, Costs fixed including direct cost, non-salary cost and overhead cost. The cost was derived from the Ministry of Health information database. All cost used US dollar currency. The study analyzed the cost of anti-hypertension pediatrics formulations through the Microsoft Excel sheet version 10th. Results: The estimated average total standard cost of pediatrics formulations per hour was (53.82 USD). The average estimated cost of Nitrofurantoin per each preparation was (14.13 USD) which consisted of standard cost (0.31 USD) and the direct cost was (13.82 USD). The average estimated cost of Oseltamivir per each preparation was (16.95 USD) which consisted of standard cost (0.33 USD) and the direct cost was (16.62 USD). The average estimated cost of Chloroquine per each preparation was (6.645 USD) which consisted of standard cost (4.36 USD) and the direct cost was (6.645 USD). The average estimated cost of Clindamycin per each preparation was (14.478 USD) which consisted of standard cost (2.018 USD) and the direct cost was (12.46 USD). Conclusion: There are varieties in the cost analysis between selected pediatric formulation and manufactured ready-made products. The pharmacist should select the cheapest one among them. The cost analysis of pediatrics formulation was used for health insurance coverage and to meet the updated pharmacy strategic plan and Saudi vision 2030 in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Keywords:Antibiotic, Clinical, Compounding, Cost, Formulations, Ministry of Health, Pediatrics, Saudi ArabiaView:PDF (171.63 KB) PDFClick here to download the PDF file. Images Cost comparisons of the extemporaneous pediatrics formulation with ready made products.

Improving policies and practices for the extemporaneous compounding of oral liquid dosage forms in Saudi Arabian hospitals

BackgroundPharmacists rely heavily on available reference material to guide the extemporaneous compounding of medicines. Extemporaneous compounding for individual patients has traditionally not been closely regulated, but is necessary in every...

Rate and factors for scabies recurrence in children in Saudi Arabia: a retrospective study

BackgroundDespite the fact that several scabies outbreaks emerged in schools in Saudi Arabia in 2018, no study has investigated the risk of scabies recurrence among children in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to estimate the rate of scabies recurrence and identify factors that were associated with an increased risk of recurrence among children.MethodsThis is a multi-center retrospective study of children (age < 14 years) who were diagnosed between May 20, 2015 and September 12, 2018 with one or multiple recurrent scabies at the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA) hospitals and clinics in Saudi Arabia. Data were obtained from an electronic health system, BestCare database.ResultsA sample of 264 children analyzed (mean age of 6.7 years) resulted in a cumulative number of 316 scabies diagnoses in which 86 (27.2%) experienced scabies recurrence (at least once). Independent factors associated with a high risk of scabies recurrence: older children (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.036; 95% CI, 1.002–1.072; P = 0.039), female gender (aHR, 1.734; 95% CI, 1.329–2.262; P = 0.001), Western region of Saudi Arabia (aHR, 1.548; 95% CI, 1.115–2.151; P = 0.009), and 2nd tertile season [May to August] (aHR, 2.368; 95% CI, 1.706–3.288; P = 0.001).ConclusionsThe study demonstrated that the recurrence rate of scabies among children is high. Older children, the female gender, the Western region of Saudi Arabia, and the seasonality were independently associated with an increased risk of scabies recurrence. High temperature and low humidity should be explored as leading factors for scabies infestations in Saudi Arabia. Findings derived from this study may be useful for clinicians and governments in optimizing clinical management of scabies cases and contacts.

Capacity and readiness of primary health care centers for implementation of the basic strategy for prevention and control of non-communicable diseases in Saudi Arabia. A case study from the Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Objectives:To assess the capacity and readiness of primary healthcare centers (PHC) for the implementation of basic strategies for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) at the Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs (MNG-HA) in Saudi Arabia.Methods:Facility-based face-to-face interviews were conducted in 41 PHCs included in this survey, using the World Health Organization (WHO) questionnaire. Main area survived were: availability of human resources, medical equipment, infrastructure, medicines, service utilization, referral systems, and community outreach.Results:Approximately 90% of the PHC centers were located in urban areas of the country. The level of staff training on NCD prevention and control strategies was reported to be inadequate, particularly for nurses and other healthcare providers. As for diagnostic equipment, diagnostic tests, essential medication, access to referral facilities and medical records most of them were available in all the PHCs among the different categories.Conclusions:The MNG-HA PHCs appear to have the capacity to integrate strategies for the prevention and control of NCDs as part of their daily functions. However, improvements are required in some areas to facilitate the integration process and training the health care workers (HCWs) on prevention and control of NCDs as part of their daily practice.

Therapeutics discovery: From bench to first in-human trials.

The 'Therapeutics discovery: From bench to first in-human trials' conference, held at the King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) from October 10-12, 2017, provided a unique opportunity for experts worldwide to discuss advances in drug discovery and development, focusing on phase I clinical trials. It was the first event of its kind to be hosted at the new research center, which was constructed to boost drug discovery and development in the KSA in collaboration with institutions, such as the Academic Drug Discovery Consortium in the United States of America (USA), Structural Genomics Consortium of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom (UK), and Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in China. The program was divided into two parts. A pre-symposium day took place on October 10, during which courses were conducted on clinical trials, preclinical drug discovery, molecular biology and nanofiber research. The attendees had the opportunity for one-to-one meetings with international experts to exchange information and foster collaborations. In the second part of the conference, which took place on October 11 and 12, the clinical trials pipeline, design and recruitment of volunteers, and economic impact of clinical trials were discussed. The Saudi Food and Drug Administration presented the regulations governing clinical trials in the KSA. The process of preclinical drug discovery from small molecules, cellular and immunologic therapies, and approaches to identifying new targets were also presented. The recommendation of the conference was that researchers in the KSA must invest more fund, talents and infrastructure to lead the region in phase I clinical trials and preclinical drug discovery. Diseases affecting the local population, such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and resistant bacterial infections, represent the optimal starting point.

Psychological stress and burnout among healthcare workers in Department of Dental Services, MNGHA (Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs): A cross sectional survey

Psychological stress and burnout among healthcare workers in Department of Dental Services, MNGHA (Ministry of National Guard - Health Affairs): A cross sectional survey

Smoking cessation counseling: Knowledge, attitude and practices of primary healthcare providers at National Guard Primary Healthcare Centers, Western Region, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND:Tobacco use is the most modifiable risk factor that increases mortality rates worldwide. The World Health Organization stated in 2015 that around six million people die each year as a result of tobacco use. Most of these deaths are diagnosed as premature. This study assessed the level of knowledge, attitude and practices of smoking cessation counseling (SCC) of primary healthcare providers (PHCPs) in Saudi Arabia.MATERIALS AND METHODS:A cross-sectional study conducted from June 10, 2016 to March 31, 2017 in five Primary Healthcare Centers (PHC) of the Ministry of National Guard-Health Affairs, Jeddah, Western Region (WR). The study subjects were the staff physicians, family medicine doctors and dentists. Their selection was based on convenience sampling (N = 167, n = 130).RESULTS:More than half of the study participants (53.2%) were middle-aged. Most were family medicine residents (25.4%) and staff physicians (24.6). Fourteen physicians were smokers, only 8 (57.1%) of whom had tried to quit. The Internet was the main source of information on SSC (21.3%), followed by postgraduate studies (19.4%). The overall level of knowledge of SCC was poor with a mean score of 35.25 ± 18.40; the overall level of attitude was good with a mean score of 76.81 ± 8.63 and the overall level of practice was average, with a mean score of 55.23 ± 21.54. There was a significant association between position (consultant) and knowledge (P < 0.001), attitude (P < 0.001) and practice (P < 0.001).CONCLUSION:PHCPs' have poor knowledge of counseling on the cessation of smoking and their practices are unsatisfactory despite their positive attitude to this role. This affects the delivery of SCC to the patients. Postgraduate studies, workshops and training are indeed necessary to help PHCPs' to understand the significance of the role they play in implementing SCC for patients, individuals, family and the community effectively.

Documentation integrity: Authorship functionalities of EHR in a Saudi Arabian hospital

This paper aims to evaluate the authorship, privacy capabilities and functions of QuadraMed and BestCare systems, implemented at the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A survey was conducted by interviewing back-end users of the EMR system in the KAMC hospital to check the aforementioned systems' authorship capabilities. Both the systems scored the same, with the overall result being 146/165 including the compliance level, which represents 88% availability of all authorship functions. The Quadra system's non-complying item was identified for only one entity, which is related to the lack of diagnosis documentation. It does not aid physicians in enhancing their ability to document diagnosis, which depends on coding and has not been implemented within the system so far. However, BestCare system provides documenting diagnosis depending on the coding part rather than free text, suggesting it is a promising system with enhanced functionalities.

HEMORRHAGIC GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORM: PREVALENCE, PREDISPOSING FACTORS AND PROGNOSIS AMONG ADULT KFMC PATIENTS.

28Feb 2017 HEMORRHAGIC GLIOBLASTOMA MULTIFORM: PREVALENCE, PREDISPOSING FACTORS AND PROGNOSIS AMONG ADULT KFMC PATIENTS. Ahmed Lary , Ali Balbaid , Abdullah Hamed Alnemari , Abdullah Abdulatif Allehiany , Omar Naji Alnabihi and Khaled Mubarek Alqahtani. Neurosurgery consultant, Affiliation: Director neuroscience department King Fahad Medical City, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Radiation oncology consultant, chairman of radiation oncology department at King Fahad Medical City, Ministry of Health, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Medical intern, Affiliation: King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNG-HA) Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Student at College of Medicine, student number: 320302013, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah Saudi Arabia. Student at College of Medicine, student number: 320701018, Affiliation :King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Jeddah Saudi Arabia. Department of statistics, university of leeds, leeds LS2 9JT, United Kingdom; Department of mathematics, college of science and humanitarian studies, Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz University, Saudi Arabia.

Perceived challenges for adopting the Personal Health Record (PHR) at Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA)- Riyadh.

BackgroundThe Personal Health Record (PHR) is an electronic record that allows patients to maintain, manage and access their health information in one secure location. However, despite these potential capabilities, the adoption rate of the PHR has been slow due to various challenges.ObjectivesThis study, being the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia, investigates the perceived barriers and /or challenges for PHR adoption in the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA). The study explored perceived barriers and /or challenges from two different perspectives; a technical perspective and a social perspective.MethodsThe study was conducted using a mixed methods approach. A cross-sectional study design using a questionnaire was used to measure patients' perceptions of the PHR and a qualitative approach through focus groups was used to capture comments and opinions from technical personnel for perceived technical barriers to PHR adoption.ResultResults from 424 patients revealed a positive perception for PHR adoption with almost all of the participants (96.7%) indicating interest in using the PHR and the majority (73.3%) expressing no confidentiality concerns for the online accessibility of their health information. Patients with higher levels of education indicated higher interest in using the PHR and expressed more concern with confidentiality than patients with lower levels of education. However, the majority of patients (78.3%) expressed their lack of awareness of existing patient e-services on the MNGHA website. The themes that emerged from the focus groups reinforced lack of awareness of e-services as a potential barrier for PHR adoption as well as the role of policy in the regulation and business process for PHR adoption.ConclusionThis study has highlighted the perceived challenges and barriers for adoption of the PHR in MNGHA-Riyadh. In order to ensure an efficient PHR with a strong adoption rate, effective steps need to be undertaken by building PHR awareness as well as setting clear guidelines and regulations from policy makers.

Health promotion practices as perceived by primary healthcare professionals at the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: In recent years, several research studies have investigated health promotion practices in Saudi healthcare organizations, yet no published literature exists on health promotion practices of primary healthcare professionals working for the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNG-HA). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a convenience sample of 206 primary healthcare professionals at the MNG-HA. A self-reporting questionnaire was used to investigate the attitudes, awareness, satisfaction, and methods regarding health promotion practices of primary healthcare professionals. Results: Of the 206 primary healthcare professionals surveyed, 58.1% reported awareness of health promotion programs conducted in the hospitals and 64.6% reported that the health promotion system in the hospitals needs to be improved. Language barriers and cultural beliefs were viewed as obstacles to carrying out effective health promotion by 65% and 64.6% of primary healthcare professionals, respectively. The majority (79.9%) of the primary healthcare professionals perceived themselves as having the necessary skills to promote health and 80.6% believed that printed educational materials are the most prevalent method of health promotion/education, whereas 55.8% reported that counseling was the most preferred method of health promotion. Conclusion: The awareness level of health promotion policies, strategies, and programs conducted in the hospitals was not found to be satisfactory. Therefore, widespread training programs are recommended to improve the health promotion system in the hospitals. These programs include facilitating behavioral change, introducing health promotion policies and strategies in hospitals, mandatory workshops, and systematic reminders.

Diagnosis of Diabetes by Applying Data Mining Classification Techniques

Health care data are often huge, complex and heterogeneous because it contains different variable types and missing values as well. Nowadays, knowledge from such data is a necessity. Data mining can be utilized to extract knowledge by constructing models from health care data such as diabetic patient data sets. In this research, three data mining algorithms, namely Self-Organizing Map (SOM), C4.5 and RandomForest, are applied on adult population data from Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA), Saudi Arabia to predict diabetic patients using 18 risk factors. RandomForest achieved the best performance compared to other data mining classifiers.

Diabetic patients' willingness to use tele-technology to manage their disease - A descriptive study.

Objectives: Diabetes mellitus is a public health concern worldwide. TeleHealth technology may be an effective tool for empowering patients in the self-management of diabetes mellitus. However despite the great impact of diabetes on healthcare in Saudi Arabia, no research has investigated diabetic patients' willingness to use this technology. This study investigates diabetic patients' willingness to use tele-technology as a tool to monitor their disease.Methods: Data were collected from diabetic patients attending the diabetes education clinic at the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNGHA) in the Eastern region of Saudi Arabia over a three month period. A survey was developed which measured patients' willingness to use tele-technology in the self-management of their diabetes as well as their perceived expectations from the technology.Results: The study found that the majority of patients were willing to use tele-technology to self- monitor their diabetes. However, a minority (11.3%) indicated willingness to use the system daily and only half indicated preference to use it once a week (53.8%). Patients who were younger, had higher education levels, were employed, had internet access and had Type II diabetes were significantly more likely to report willingness to use the technology.Conclusions: Diabetic patients could be ready to play a more active role in their care if given the opportunity. Results from this study could serve as a baseline for future studies to develop targeted interventions by trialing tele-technology on a sample of the diabetic population. Patients with diabetes need to be in charge of their own care in order to improve health outcomes across the country.