Poor Level Of Awareness Research Articles

Veterinary Drug Utilization Behaviour of Small-scale Dairy Farms in Three Districts of Oromia Region

Small scale dairy farms around the Addis Ababa milk and milk products value chain covers a significant portion of the milk demands of Ethiopian people. The demand for dairy and meat products is rapidly increasing resulting in the expansion of dairy and fattening farms. Likewise, a wide variety of antimicrobials (AMs) have been used for a variety of purposes. This coupled with the poor awareness level of farmers regarding antimicrobial drug residue (AMDR) in animals’ products pose a great threat to public health. This study is therefore conducted to assess the current antimicrobial utilization and post-administration management practice of livestock producers in the study area. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 90 purposively selected smallholder dairy farms in 3 districts of the Oromia region. All farms (n=90) reported the use of at least one class of antimicrobial for a variety of purposes. Anthelminthics and antibiotics (87.8% each), antiprotozoals (58.9%), multivitamins and other commercial supplements (42.2%) were the most frequently used veterinary products in the study area. About two-thirds (63.3%) of the respondents purchase and use drugs without prescription. Unrestricted veterinary drug access (X2=9.03, p=0.003) and the perception of high veterinary service costs (X2=11.1, p=0.001) were found to have a strong association with unprescribed drugs use. AMs were used for treatment (49.4%), prophylactic (18.6%), growth promotion (18.6%), and fattening (17.8%) purposes. Most of the respondents (57.8%) have no awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in milk and milk products. A strong association between the status of training and awareness level was observed, indicating the vital role of training in enhancing awareness level. A small majority (53.3%) of the respondent adhere to the recommended drug withdrawal period (DWP). Similar studies should be conducted in wider areas along the major milk value chain to get a big picture of the drug utilization status of dairy farms. Future works should quantify the level of veterinary drug residue (VDR) in dairy products.

An Analysis on Constraints Faced by Scheduled Tribes in Access to Social Institutions in Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu

The study was conducted to find out the constraints faced by scheduled tribes of Tamil Nadu in accessing the social institutions and availing their services. Ex post facto research design was used for this study. The study was conducted in Pethanaickenpalayam, Jawadhu hills and Kalrayan hills blocks of Salem, Tiruvannamalai and Viluppuram districts respectively. A list of constraints related to the social institutions has been prepared and survey was conducted among 270 tribal respondents in the study area. It has been found from the study that changing size of family into nuclear family, difficulty in adopting the spiritual needs, indebtedness of family hampers the schooling of children, poor awareness level of various developmental programs, and an increase in indebtedness among tribes were the major constraints concerning the family, religion, education, panchayat and economy respectively. Also suitable suggestions and strategies such as increase the number of schools and colleges near to the tribal villages, increase financial literacy among the tribes and create awareness among the tribes about various development programmes available to them were discussed to overcome the identified constraints in this paper.

Awareness of Toxicological Impact and Risk of using Talcum Powder as a Factor for Ovarian Cancer among Women in three Metropolitan Cities of Southwestern States, Nigeria


 
 
 This study evaluated the public awareness level on the toxicological nature of talcum powder and the perceived risk of ovarian cancer among women in order to design effective interventions that will ultimately improve public health among all women in Nigeria. A risk perception survey was developed to capture the public awareness level about talcum powder as an emerging contaminant and risk of ovarian cancer, inquiring whether risk is viewed positively or negatively and the extent of worry or concern. A total of 300 questionnaires were administered and returned, analyzed and interpreted for policy decision making. Each questionnaire contains mostly Likert type questions featuring a set of risks with fixed response alternatives. Basic descriptive statistics was considered for explanatory variables: age, educational attainment and generalized risk sensitivity. Majority of respondents use talcum powder for different purposes. 28% of respondents use talcum powder for genital hygiene, out of which 42.86% use this cosmetic product on a daily basis. Poor level of awareness was generally observed as most respondents do not know whether talcum powder could be considered a potential risk factor for ovarian cancer. Majority (66.43%) were very concerned about the risk of ovarian cancer but perceived less risk for ovarian cancer when asked to compare risk with their respective age groups. Notably, poor level of awareness about the toxicological nature of talc and the relatively high level of perceived risk of developing ovarian cancer due to previous talc exposure was evident among respondents in our study.
 
 

Malaria awareness of adults in high, moderate and low transmission settings: A cross-sectional study in rural East Nusa Tenggara Province, Indonesia.

The 2009 Indonesian roadmap to malaria elimination indicated that the nation had been progressing towards achieving malaria elimination by 2030. Currently, most of the districts in the western part of Indonesia have eliminated malaria; however, none of the districts in the East Nusa Tenggara Province (ENTP) have met these set targets. This study aimed to investigate the status of malaria awareness of rural adults in the ENTP. A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2019 in high, moderate, and low malaria-endemic settings (MESs) in the ENTP. After obtaining informed consent, data were collected using an interviewer-administered structure questionnaire among 1503 participants recruited by a multi-stage cluster sampling method. A malaria awareness index was developed based on ten questions. A binary logistic regression method was applied to investigate the significance of any association between malaria awareness and the different MESs. The participation rate of the study was 99.5%. Of this number, 51.4% were female and 45.5% had completed primary education. The malaria awareness index was significantly low (48.8%, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 45.2-52.4). Malaria awareness of rural adults residing in low endemic settings was two times higher than for those living in high endemic settings (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.41, 95% CI: 1.81-3.21) and the basic malaria knowledge of participants living in low malaria-endemic settings was almost four times higher than that in high endemic settings (AOR: 3.75, 95% CI: 2.75-5.11). Of the total participants, 81.3% (95% CI: 79.1-83.5) were aware that malaria could be prevented and 75.1% (95% CI: 72.6-77.6) knew at least one prevention measure. Overall, the awareness of fever as the main symptom of malaria, mosquito bites as the transmission mode of malaria, and seeking treatment within 24 hours of suffering from malaria was poor at 37.9% (95% CI: 33.9-41.9), 59.1% (95% CI: 55.9-62.3), and 46.0% (95% CI: 42.3-49.7), respectively. The poor level of awareness was significantly different amongst the three MESs, with the lowest levels of awareness in the high endemic setting. Malaria awareness of rural adults needs to be improved to address Indonesia's national roadmap for malaria elimination. Results indicated that public health programs at a local government level should incorporate the malaria awareness index in their key strategic intervention to address malaria awareness.

Epidemiology of Orthopaedic Injuries in Cases of Road Traffic Accidents

Background: Road traffic accidents are on the rise due to rapid urbanization, motorization, lack of appropriate road engineering, poor awareness levels, non existent injury prevention programs, and poor enforcement of traffic laws. From mild to severe injuries, a road traffic accident can have a significant social and economic impact on the individual, family and the society. It is believed that the outcome of this study should help in identifying risk factors, set priorities for prevention and aid in management of cases.
 Materials and Methods: This study is a cross sectional prospective study conducted over a period of 6 months
 Results: One hundred and twenty seven RTA victims were studied during the period. The most commonly affected age group was 21-40 years. Men were more involved in RTAs than women.
 Most common fracture was tibial fracture and most common fractures were seen in people who drove motorcycles. Accidents were most commonly seen during the time period of 6pm to 6am.
 Conclusion: Computerised trauma registry is needed urgently to highlight risk factors, circumstances, chain of events leading to accidents.
 Strict licensure procedure should be followed and minimum level of education should be imparted especially to younger age groups. Doing so will be helpful in policy making and health management in India.

Amblyopia and Routine Eye Exam in Children: Parent's Perspective.

Amblyopia is a reduced best-corrected visual acuity of one or both eyes that cannot be attributed to a structural abnormality; it is a functional reduction in the vision of an eye caused by disuse during a critical period of visual development. It is considered the leading cause of visual defects in children. With early diagnosis and treatment, children with amblyopia can significantly improve their vision. However, if it is neglected and not treated during childhood, unfortunately, it permanently decreases vision. Therefore, prevention, detection, and treatment largely depend on parents. This article explores parents’ perspectives on amblyopia and routine examination of their children’s eyes. A cross-sectional study used an electronic questionnaire consisting of five main sections to assess the level of awareness of amblyopia among parents. As a result, a total of 325 participants were included in our analysis. 209 (64.3%) were mothers, and 116 (35/7%) were fathers. The age groups were 35–50 years of age (61.5%), 20–34 years (23.4%), and older than 50 years (15%). Participants with a history of amblyopia numbered 23 (7.1%), and 39 had an amblyopic child (12%). A good awareness level of amblyopia among parents was found in only 10 (3%) participants, a fair awareness level in 202 (62%), and 113 (35%) participants were classified as having a poor awareness level of amblyopia. Only 13.8% of the parents took their children for yearly routine eye exams, while the majority (72%) took their children only if they had a complaint, and 14.2% took them for eye checkups only before school entry. In conclusion, parents’ awareness of amblyopia in Tabuk City, KSA, was low. In addition, a limited proportion of parents reported consistently taking their children for routine eye exams. Therefore, raising awareness should be considered in public education regarding the disease.

Awareness, Treatment, and Control of Hypertension among the Adult Population in Burkina Faso: Evidence from a Nationwide Population-Based Survey.

Background Hypertension is the leading cause of cardiovascular disease, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Improved awareness of hypertension status can significantly increase early treatment, thereby reducing cardiovascular complications and premature death. This study aimed to report the prevalence of the awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among the adult population in Burkina Faso. Method We performed a secondary analysis of the first national population-based survey on common risk factors of noncommunicable diseases in Burkina Faso. It was a national representative cross-sectional survey among adults aged 25–64 years. Awareness of hypertension was defined by blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or a prior diagnosis by a health worker or the use of any antihypertensive drugs. A modified Poisson regression model using a generalized estimating equation was used to identify factors associated with awareness of hypertension. Result A total of 4628 people with valid blood pressure measurements were considered. Of them, 828 had hypertension. Among people with hypertension, the prevalence of awareness was 17.5% (95% CI: 14.4%–21.1%), and 47.3% (95% CI: 37.6%–57.3%) of them had taken antihypertensive medications for their hypertension. One-third (35.5% (95% CI: 23.3%–49.9%)) of those who took medications had controlled hypertension. The prevalence of awareness was significantly higher among women (21.1% (95% CI: 16.4%–26.7%)) compared with men (13.8% (95% CI: 10.4%–17.9%)) (p = 0.019). The prevalence of awareness increased with increasing age and education level. Nearly one-third (29.3% (95% CI: 25.3%–33.6%)) of people with hypertension needed antihypertensive drug treatment. Conclusion There was a poor level of awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension among adults in Burkina Faso. Effective control strategies to increase the screening of hypertension in primary care and at the community level are necessary in Burkina Faso.

Assessment of Public Awareness Level Regarding Solid Waste Management: A Case Study of Pol-e-Khumri, Afghanistan

This study was conducted to assess the awareness level of 786 families regarding solid waste management in Pol-e-Khumri. A total of 331 questionnaires were distributed among participants of different educational degrees and age groups from which only 310 questionnaires were returned back. Collected data were analyzed using statistical package for social science (SPSS) software. The results of this research showed that 58% of participants had weak general awareness regarding solid waste management, while 29% and 13% of them had moderate and good awareness level of awareness, respectively. Also, participants had satisfactory level of knowledge about responsible administrations (75%) and negative impacts of waste dumping (60%) while, they had moderate level of awareness regarding solid waste management (40%), waste collection (50%) and transportation (45%). Participants showed poor awareness level regarding solid waste disposal methods (25%), source segregation of waste (30%) and hazardous waste (35%). The relationship between the demographic characteristics of respondents (sex and level of education) and their general awareness level was also evaluated. It was found that participants with low education degree have less awareness as compared to participants with high degree of education. Study suggests that there must be an integrated program about solid waste management and enhancing public awareness. Short- and long-term educational programs such as discussions, seminars, workshops and preaching in Masjids are considered to be useful in enhancing public awareness level.

Population awareness about systemic lupus erythematosus in the Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia

Background: The objective was to evaluate the level of awareness regarding systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) among the general population in the Al-Qassim region, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).Methods: This was a cross-sectional study carried out between March and April 2021 and conducted among the general population at Al-Qassim region, KSA. A valid pre-tested electronic questionnaire was distributed through social media among the targeted population that included socio-demographic characteristics and questionnaires measuring awareness, attitude and their belief about SLE. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 26.Results: A total of 377 participants were enrolled. The most common age group was more than 40 years old (39%), with slightly females (52.5%) than males. The prevalence of participants who had heard about SLE was 52.5%. Of those who have heard about SLE, a poor level of awareness was detected among 69.2% of participants, while 30.8% were at a good level. Factors associated with an increased level of awareness were having diagnosed been with SLE and those who indicated their doctor as their sources of SLE information.Conclusions: The awareness of the general population in the Al-Qassim region regarding SLE was insufficient. Obtaining SLE information from their doctor and having been diagnosed with SLE are associated with better awareness. We propose that awareness campaigns should be promoted.

Awareness and Willingness on Organ Donation among Undergraduate Students of Pokhara University

Introduction: Organ donation is possible only when a person allows his/her own organ to be removed and transplanted to another person legally with a consent. People’s attitude toward organ donation can be influenced by various factors such as awareness related to organ donation, level of education, and religion. This study aims to assess the awareness and willingness on organ donation and identify the correlation between awareness and willingness on organ donation.
 Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive research design was used for the study. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used among 342 respondents. Structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data. Pearson correlation coefficient (r) was used to find out the relation between the variables i.e. awareness and willingness.
 Results: In this study, 57.1% of the respondents had poor level of awareness whereas 32.7% respondents had satisfactory awareness and 10.2% had good level of awareness on organ donation. Regarding willingness on organ donation, 45.0% respondents showed willingness on organ donation and 55.0% showed no willingness on organ donation. There was low degree positive correlation (r=0.127) between awareness and willingness of the respondents on organ donation.
 Conclusion: The findings of the current research study concluded that more than half of the respondents had poor level of awareness and majority of respondents showed no willingness on organ donation. There is low degree of correlation between awareness and willingness of the respondents.

Awareness of Myopia amongst Parents of School Going Children in a Survey Done in a Tertiary Care Centre in Vidarbha Region, India

Background: There is a increase in prevalence and burden of myopia in India, hence extent of myopia awareness among Indian parents is required to prepare future public health initiatives and interventions. Hence a survey was conducted.
 Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the level of myopia awareness among a group of parents based in Vidarbha region of India.
 Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey, 150 parents with at least one child under the age of 16 years participated in the study. Age, gender, educational qualification and number of children were asked, the amount of time a child spends on his device, the acceptable distance between the eyes and device screen, the preventive measures of myopia and awareness of symptoms of myopia in their children were collected via a written questionnaire.
 Results: Eighty-three participants (55.33%) thought that the safe distance between device screen and eyes was less than 30cms. Fifteen 10% (15/150) participants were aware that outdoor activity and natural light has a preventive effect on myopia and onset and progression. 16.66% (25/150) and 63.33% (95/150) of the participants, respectively, were aware that looking into the distance and taking regular breaks from device use prevent myopia onset and progression. Hundred (66.66%, 100/150) participants reported that regular eye check-ups were important for children. Overall, only 14 participants (9.33%) were aware that all 4 strategies are important for myopia management. Majority of the participants reported that their children spent 2 hours on screen (73.33%,110/150), none of the participants reported study time of 4 hours or more than 4 hrs, 15 participants reported study time of 3 hours (10 percent), 25 participants reported screen time of 1 hour (16.66%). Majority of the participants were not aware of the rule of 20-20-20, looking into the distance in online study and prolonged screen time (73.33%,110/150).
 Only twenty participants reported headache and tiredness (9.7%) in their children, no other symptoms were recognised.
 Conclusion: Survey demonstrated a poor level of awareness of protective role of outdoor activity in its onset and progression. Importance of regular eye check-ups and outdoor activity and risks of smart device usage should be included in awareness programs and other health education programs.

CORONAVIRUS DISEASE 2019 VACCINATION DRIVE: THE PERCEPTIONS AND ACCEPTANCE OF VACCINATION AMONG HEALTH CARE WORKERS

Objective: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection evolved as a worst nightmare across entire humanity especially for health care workers along with all stakeholders of the society ever since the beginning of year 2020. Vaccination campaign is one of the most successful public health interventions and a cornerstone for the prevention of communicable infectious diseases. To have a baseline data and to form the basis for further vaccination drive, we carried out this study with an objective to understand the perception and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among health care workers (HCWs).
 Methods: A correctional study was carried out at one of the multispecialty hospital in North India where COVID-19 vaccination for HCWs was planned and 675 HCWs were taken into the study. Data were collected by means of personal interview using pretested semi-structured questionnaire and Epi Info version 6 was used for analysis.
 Results: The mean age of the participants was 32.78 years. Majority were male (89.48%), working in government sector (87.7%) and paramedic (88.15%). While 94.67% were accepting vaccine voluntarily while remaining were not confident enough on their own, only 26.96% were ready to take vaccine even on payment. The overall awareness scores of study participants were calculated and found that 79.56% of them had poor awareness level while only 20.44% had satisfactory awareness level. The association of awareness score was statistically significant with job profile (designation), gender, and prior COVID-19 positivity of study participants.
 Conclusion: The decision of vaccine prioritization to HCWs and frontline workers will boost the morale and spirit of warriors high in future. This study was a preliminary attempt to check any vaccine hesitancy factors among HCWs and act accordingly. Although almost all had volunteered for vaccine, the knowledge about vaccine was poor in majority of HCWs as the time period was recent to vaccine rollout and detailed research findings were not yet out about vaccine. All measures to be taken including intensive information education and communications activities targeting HCWs and general population on regular basis to upgrade the knowledge on vaccine issues. A strong communicating policy in an era of misinformation is highly recommended as social media plays an important role in spreading true as well as false messages jeopardizing the entire gains of successful vaccination and attainment of herd immunity. HCWs to act as role model for general public and patients which would in turn increase the vaccine acceptance among them.

Female awareness about the preconception use of folic acid supplements in childbearing age: A cross-sectional study.

Folic acid is required for the growth and development of the fetus. There is strong evidence that taking folic acid before pregnancy and during the first trimester reduces the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs). This study aimed to assess women's awareness of preconception folic acid supplementation and its importance to the mother and the fetus. This was a cross-sectional questionnaire study conducted in Saudi Arabia between January and April 2019. An electronic questionnaire tool was designed and distributed using Google Forms through social media (Facebook and WhatsApp) websites. Binary logistics regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for predictors of poor levels of awareness about folic acid. A total of 514 women participated in this study. The age range for the study participants was 18-45years. Only 24.1% of the participants reported that they routinely took folic acid. The most commonly reported source of information about folic acid use was the doctor. The majority of the participants had poor awareness of folic acid use. Older age (30years and above) and not taking regular folic acid supplements were important predictors of poor awareness of folic acid. Having a university degree or higher education was an important predictor of increased awareness about folic acid. Our study found that the awareness of the Saudi women was poor in identifying the generic name of folic acid, recognising the sources of folic acid, the correct dose of folic acid, and the side effects of high doses of folic acid and that there was good knowledge about the importance of folic acid, the consequences of folic acid deficiency, and the belief that even non-pregnant women and girls of childbearing age should take folic acid.

Assess the Awareness and Perception Regarding Birthing Process among Pregnant Women Residing in Tribal Areas of Bhandardara

Background: Pregnancy and child birth is one of the greatest event in the life of a woman which sheaspires and longs for with great expectation. She has fantasies about pregnancy and motherhood but whenconfronted with reality, many of them doubt their ability to cope with this great event.A woman generally has notion that child birth is unbearable pain. This is formed as a result of the tales heardduring adolescence or later in life. Child birth is a natural and universal phenomenon. Yet the knowledgeof it among average women is haphazard, incomplete or distorted. So, researcher felt the need to assess theawareness and perception regarding birthing process among pregnant women.Methods: Descriptive cross sectional research design was used with evaluative approach. Setting of thestudy was in tribal areas of Bhandardara. Samples were all pregnant women those who were available duringstudy period. Sample size computed was total 100. Non probability convenient sampling technique wasused for the study. Data was collected with help of dichotomous questionnaire on awareness and throughinterview their perception was assessed regarding birthing process.Results: Percentage wise distribution of pregnant women according to their weeks of pregnancy in whichmajority (48%) were in 13-28 weeks of gestation, (36%) of pregnant women were grand multigravida.Majority (43%) of sample were of the age group of 19-21 years. The highest percentage (44%) of respondentshad secondary education. Majority (37%) of samples were farming .The highest percentage (57%) of samplebelonged to Hindu religion .The highest percentage (71%) of sample belonged to joint family The highestpercentage (44%) of sample had a family income of 3001-5,000 rupees .Area wise Distribution of mean ,SDand mean percentage of awareness score regarding birthing process shows that overall mean knowledgescore was (21.41± 9.25) which is 42.82% of max score indicate that pregnant women had poor level ofawareness regarding birthing process. Pregnant women perceived that when there is an eclipse of the sun orsolar, birthing process is very difficult to manage.Conclusion: Findings of the present study concluded that the pregnant women had average knowledgeregarding child birthing process. In this regard health personnel’s play a very important role as they have toeducate the women about birthing process and have a healthier pregnancy.

To Evaluate the Level of Awareness and Assess the Risk of Falls in Stroke Patients

Objective The purpose of this study was to explore awareness and assess the risk of fall in stroke patients.Methods In this study100 stroke patients were recruited. The patients were asked to answer questions focusing on their awareness of risk of fall in stroke patients. All the collected data were analyzed using SPSS 18.0.Results The respondents were asked questions and each correct response was scored lsquo1rsquo and wrong answer was scored lsquo0rsquo. The level of awareness was classified into 3 categories good awareness average awareness and poor awareness. Overall 97 participants had poor knowledge on awareness and 100 participants had the fear of falling.Conclusions Patients had poor level of awareness about stroke and majority of stroke patients had the fear of falling.

Awareness on mental illness and delayed in seeking health services among members of psychiatric patient

Background: Mental illness is an emerging problem in Nepal. Awareness about mental illness is the major determinant for early detection of the problem and prevention from delay in seeking the psychiatric treatment. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the awareness of mental illness among family members of psychiatric patient and explore factors contributing to delay in seeking health service. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at Patan Hospital, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Nepal. Non-probability purposive sampling technique was used to select the sample. New patient’s family members attending for checkup were interviewed. A self-constructed open- and close-ended questionnaire in Nepali was used for data collection to analyze. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as frequency, percentage, mean, median standard deviation, and Chi-square. Results: Out of 126 family members, 101 (80.16%) had heard about mental illness and among them 42 (41.60%) of the respondents had poor level of awareness. Almost half 62 (49.21%) of the respondents had late delay in seeking health services and the reasons for delay were; unable to identify the symptoms 57 (45.20%), initial treatment with Dhami and Jhakris 37 (29.40%), and conducting religious activity at home 22 (27.50%). There was no significant association between delay and sociodemographic variables of the family members. Conclusion: Study demonstrated that nearly 1/2 of the respondents had poor knowledge and almost 1/2 of the respondents had longer delay for treatment seeking and nearly half 1/2 of the respondents main reason for delay in treatment seeking was unable to identify the symptoms.

Parent awareness of systemic lupus erythematosus in pediatric age groups in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune multisystem chronic disease where the body mistakenly fights itself with wide and variable clinical presentations that affect several organs in the body, including the skin, joints, kidneys, lungs, and heart. The awareness of the clinical manifestation of SLE is necessary to prevent the delay in making a diagnosis. The present study aims to evaluate the level of awareness of SLE in pediatric patients in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using a validated self-administered questionnaire distributed among parents via an online platform. Questionnaire data were tabulated and coded in MS Excel, and all statistical analyses were carried out using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences. Results: A total of 596 parents were enrolled. The most common age group was 44-52, with females dominating males (78.2% vs. 21.8%). SLE awareness among parents was found to be poor (78.7%). Poor awareness level was prevalent in women than men. Still, the greater awareness was more common among highly educated parents, among those with disease-oriented through online, and those who received disease information from their friends or relatives. Conclusion: SLE awareness among parents in this study was unsatisfactory. To conclude, healthcare providers should provide more education to parents regarding the management and treatment of SLE in pediatric age groups.

Public awareness about spinal disc herniation in Saudi Arabia: a brief review

Lumbar disc herniation involves the displacement of the intervertebral disc content. A herniated disc can occur in any part of the spine; it is more common in the lower back (lumbar spine) but also in the neck (cervical spine). Nowadays, disc herniation is commonly diagnosed regarding the degenerative abnormalities of the lumbar spine. It is the major cause of spinal surgery. To overview the disc herniation and awareness of the audi population about spinal disc herniation, we performed a literature search on scientific database Google scholar for articles related public awareness about spinal disc herniation in Saudi Arabia. Specific keywords were employed for the literature search including spinal disc herniation, disc herniation, lumbar disc herniation, epidemiology of disc herniation, awareness about disc herniation, and Saudi population. The included articles in this review were published between 2010 and 2021. The review covered studies on epidemiology, management, outcomes and awareness regarding lumbar disc herniation in Saudi Arabia. The review concluded that only few studies in Saudi Arabia investigated the awareness of the population about spinal disc herniation, and most of them reported a poor level of awareness.

Awareness of corticosteroids’ side effects among attendees in King Fahad Specialist Hospital, Buraydah city, Saudi Arabia

Background: Corticosteroids “steroids” are anti-inflammatory drugs prescribed to reduce inflammation and suppress the immune system in many conditions such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, urticaria, inflammatory bowel diseases, inflamed joints. Steroids are one of the most widely prescribed drugs. Despite its severe side effects, only a few studies have been reported the severity of the problem and the awareness of the patients in Saudi Arabia. This study primarily is focused on assessing understanding for corticosteroid users or non-user about corticosteroids’ adverse effects with different usage of dosage forms among attendees in King Fahad Specialist Hospital (KFSH) in Buraydah city. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Convenient sampling was taken from attendees in KFSH in Buraydah city. The sample consisted of users and non-users for the corticosteroids drugs in any form, whether in outpatient or inpatients or visitors. Results: Overall, in our study, we found a low level of awareness among attendees “users and non-users” in KFSH about the adverse effects of corticosteroids, and the awareness of users was higher than non-users. Conclusion: Corticosteroid therapy is essential in clinical practice, yet it can have significant side effects if misused. Overall, we discovered that attendees at KFSH had a poor level of awareness of corticosteroids’ side effects; additionally, users were more aware of side effects than non-users, and the incidence of the disease will increase awareness about side effects. Younger age groups were more aware, and there was minimal variation of understanding in gender.

Use, Awareness, Knowledge and Beliefs of Medication During Pregnancy in Malaysia.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess medication use in pregnant women in Malaysia by measuring use, knowledge, awareness, and beliefs about medications.MethodsThis was an observational, cross-sectional study involving a total of 447 pregnant women who attended the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, Hospital Kuala Lumpur (HKL), Malaysia. A validated, self-administered questionnaire was used to collect participant data.ResultsMost of pregnant women had taken medication during pregnancy and more than half of them (52.8%) showed a poor level of knowledge about the medication use during pregnancy. Eighty-three percent had a poor level of awareness and 56.5% had negative beliefs. Age and education level were significantly associated with the level of knowledge regarding medication use during pregnancy. Multiparous pregnant women, and pregnant women from rural areas were observed to have a higher level of awareness compared with those who lived in urban areas. Use of medication during pregnancy was determined to be significantly associated with education level, and race.ConclusionAlthough there was prevalent use of medication among pregnant women, many had negative beliefs, and insufficient knowledge and awareness about the risks of taking medication during pregnancy. Several sociodemographic characteristics were significantly associated with the use (race and education level), level of knowledge (age and education level), awareness (parity and place of residence), and beliefs (race, education level, and occupation status) towards medication use during pregnancy.