Saudi Arabia Research Articles

Islamic Work Ethics and Employee Social Responsibility of Service Sector in Saudi Arabia. Mediating Role of Organizational Identification

Islamic Work Ethics and Employee Social Responsibility of Service Sector in Saudi Arabia. Mediating Role of Organizational Identification

Prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) in Saudi Arabia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Antimicrobial resistance is a significant public health issue. In addressing the threat of multidrug resistant bacterial infections, carbapenems have been used. The carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are, however, rapidly expanding worldwide. Since the issue of CRE is also a problem in Saudi Arabia, the current meta-analysis was performed to comprehensively evaluate the resistance rates to the main carbapenem antibiotics and determine the actual prevalence of CRE in the country. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was followed. Different web databases including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect were searched for relevant records. Data were extracted, and summary estimates for resistance to carbapenems were calculated using DerSimonian-Laird method of meta-analysis and the random-effects model. From a total of 787 retrieved records, 69 studies were found fully eligible and were included in the final analyses. More than 50 % of all the studies were conducted after 2010, and the most frequently examined members of the Enterobacterales were Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. The pooled prevalence estimate for imipenem resistance was 6.6 % (95 % CI: 4.7–9.2), 9.1 % (95 % CI: 6.7–12.3) for meropenem, and 18.6 % (95 % CI: 11.9–27.9) for ertapenem. High heterogeneity (I2 > 97 %, p < 0.001) was observed for all the estimates. Compared to other regions of the country, there was higher resistance rates in the Al-Qassim and Al-Jouf provinces. Additionally, resistance to ertapenem was as high as 34.2 % in the most recent study period (2021–2024). Proteus spp was the most prevalent CRE (26.2 %). This review highlights an increasing rate of carbapenem resistance among Enterobacterales, emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts to implement strict infection control and prevention measures. Consistent surveillance is indispensable for safeguarding public health, guiding clinical decisions, and strengthening efforts to tackle the challenges of antibiotic resistance.

Prevalence of sleep disturbance and its associated factors among diabetes type-2 patients in Saudi Arabia

Prevalence of sleep disturbance and its associated factors among diabetes type-2 patients in Saudi Arabia

Evaluation of Clozapine-induced Toxicities in Psychic Patients in Mental Health Care Hospitals in the Southern Region of the Saudi Arabia Kingdom

Background: Clozapine is a psychiatric medication that may cause various side effects, some of them may be serious and fatal adverse effects, such as severe neutropenia, agranulocytosis, lymphocytopenia, myocarditis, and orthostatic hypotension, that have been associated to an increased risk of death. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the serious and potentially fatal adverse effects of clozapine toxicity in psychic patients at mental health care hospitals in the Southern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: By using a survey, data were retrospectively collected from 193 adult psychic patient reports who have been administrated clozapine with regular follow-ups, in mental health hospitals in the Southern region of Saudi Arabia between 2019 and 2021. Then, these data are recorded and analyzed Statistically using SPSS software, with suitable tests, and predetermined statistical significance (p-value) of less than 0.001. Results: The occurrence of agranulocytosis, neutropenia, hypotension, and seizures showed a highly significant correlation with higher doses of clozapine administration (i.e. p &lt; 0.001). Similarly, agranulocytosis and neutropenia were significantly associated with the occurrence of both hypotension and seizures (i.e. p &lt; 0.001). Conclusion: The collected data in this study showed an increased incidence of agranulocytosis and neutropenia associated with clozapine-treated psychic patients in the Southern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia which warrants further clinical studies to find this correlation.

Clinical Effectiveness of Green Tea Extracts as a Local Haemostatic Agent Following Mandibular Molar Extraction.

To determine the clinical effectiveness of different green tea extracts (GTEs) in reducing bleeding after extraction of mandibular molars. Randomised controlled trial. Place and Duration of the Study: College of Dentistry, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia, from October to December 2022. A total of 64 patients were selected from those who attended dental clinics at the College of Dentistry, King Khalid University for extraction of their mandibular molars. They were equally and randomly divided into a control and three test groups by asking the patient to choose a numbered piece of paper. In the first group, normal saline-soaked sterile gauze was used after the tooth extraction while in the three test groups, different GTEs (methanolic GTE, aqueous GTE, and tannin isolated from the green tea) were applied. Monitoring of the bleeding by observing the extraction socket was carried out at regular intervals of five minutes until the oozing subsided, and then once an hour after that. Each group had 16 patients. The mean of bleeding stop-minutes was significantly different among the groups (61.56 minutes for the control group, 7.50 minutes 8.44 minutes and 5.62 minutes for the test groups, p <0.001). The median of bleeding stop-minutes of the control group was significantly higher than all test groups (p <0.001). The number of patients in whom bleeding was continued one hour after surgery was significantly higher in the control group (p = 0.005). Moreover, tannin has the greatest haemostatic effect compared to aqueous and methanolic GTEs. Significant haemostatic effect has been shown by all GTEs. Tannin isolated from green tea has shown a significantly higher haemostatic effect than to the aqueous and methanolic extracts. Bleeding, Green tea extracts, Haemostasis, Tannin isolate, Molar extraction.

Disposal of Unused Antibiotics in Community Pharmacies in Saudi Arabia: A Mixed-Methods Study

Disposal of Unused Antibiotics in Community Pharmacies in Saudi Arabia: A Mixed-Methods Study

Effect of Black Soldier Fly Larvae Frass as Organic Fertilizer on Postharvest Quality and Shelf Life of Open-field-grown Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.)

Open-field-grown tomatoes in Saudi Arabia are stressed by poor soil fertility because of the low organic matter content, low nutrient availability, and high pH. Thus, high chemical fertilizer inputs are crucial for commercial production; however, they cause economic loss as well as negatively affect environmental sustainability. The use of efficient organic fertilizers would be useful for developing more cost-effective, environmentally friendly, and sustainable agriculture. The current study evaluated the impact of Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens L.) frass (BSFF) fertilizer applications as organic fertilizer on postharvest fruit quality and shelf life of open-field-grown F1 hybrid ‘Sinag Tala’ tomatoes compared with those grown under control treatment (received recommended doses of chemical fertilizers for tomato production under open field conditions). The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The results showed that the application of BSFF fertilizer, especially at the higher rate (5 ton/ha; BSFF3), improved the overall quality of tomato fruit. The BSFF fertilizer treatments reduced weight loss, maintained higher firmness, antioxidants [vitamin C, total phenol content (TPC) and total flavinoid (TFC)], total soluble solids (TSS), and titratable acidity (TA) contents, and lowered the TSS/TA ratio of fruits during shelf life compared with those of the control. The decay incidence was only detected after 9 days of shelf life and was significantly lower in all the BSFF fertilizer treatments (range, 8.40%-12.05%) than in the control (15.9%). In addition, BSFF fertilizer treatments reduced both disease incidence and severity of gray mold following pathogen inoculation during shelf life compared with those of the control. These results might be attributable to the higher antioxidants content (vitamin C, TPC, and TFC) and higher polyphenol oxidase activity in BSFF-fertilized tomatoes. In conclusion, BSFF fertilizer could be used as a potential eco-friendly alternative to chemical fertilizers to improve tomato fruit quality during shelf life.

Healthcare Workers’ Knowledge and Preparedness for Unprecedented Foodborne Botulism Outbreak in Saudi Arabia

Healthcare Workers’ Knowledge and Preparedness for Unprecedented Foodborne Botulism Outbreak in Saudi Arabia

Association of Women Empowerment with Intimate Partner Violence in Saudi Arabia

Association of Women Empowerment with Intimate Partner Violence in Saudi Arabia

A systematic review on the prevalence of a silent female disorder in Arabic-speaking countries and the Middle East: sexual dysfunctions and the role of culture.

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) remains a silent problem, especially in Arabic-speaking countries and the Middle East and most of the data are from Western countries. Sociocultural determinants haven't been getting the same attention as biological and psychological factors when studying sexual health. To assess the prevalence of FSD in the Arab and Middle Eastern world and understand the sociocultural determinants related. On January 13, 2024, we searched electronic databases including Pubmed, Scielo, PsycArticles, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Google Scholar, Middle East Current Psychiatry, and Journal of Middle East Women's Studies, following PRISMA guidelines. Female participants, aged at least 16years old from Middle East or Arabic-speaking countries, including North Africa, and cross-sectional studies in Arabic, English, and/or French were included. After careful screening of titles, abstracts, and full texts, ineligible articles were excluded. A total of 19 papers were included in the present review. The most common FSD in each country were as follows: in Egypt, Turkey, Morocco, and Jordan, desire problems. In Iran, orgasm problems, and pain. In Palestine, pain. In Saudi Arabia, arousal. Sociocultural determinants such as language, poor sexual education, poor sexual self-awareness-and of partners-, lack of training, and help-seeking were related to FSD. FSD is prevalent in Arabic-speaking countries and the Middle East, yet little to no attention is given to this matter. Causes for FSD are mainly cultural, and Arab and Middle Eastern healthcare professionals lack training. Culturally sensitive, evidence-based studies regarding sexual health need to be conducted.

External Debt and Economic Growth of BRICS Nations: How can BRICS Integration help them?

This study examines the relationship between external debt and economic growth in the BRICS countries. It explores how BRICS integration can aid these economies and newly joined countries in solving the debt problem. Using the latest panel data techniques and country experiences, we employed the panel mean group method (PMG) and interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) for South Africa, who joined in 2010. Results show a negative relationship between external debt and economic growth at the group level, with mixed results for individual countries. Using individual country experiences, valid implications are drawn for debt-stressed countries like Ethiopia and oil-rich nations like Saudi Arabia. Integrating new member countries in BRICS can overhaul the existing system towards broader perspectives of reforms in global financial institutions. Integration into the BRICS association can benefit these countries through reforms in global financial institutions, fairer debt restructuring, joint investment projects, macroeconomic coordination, debt management knowledge sharing, innovative financing, and collective advocacy for debt relief to enhance stability and resilience.

Investment Amid Uncertainty: Exchange Rates and Oil Price Dynamics in Saudi Arabia

Investment Amid Uncertainty: Exchange Rates and Oil Price Dynamics in Saudi Arabia

Effectiveness of a resilience-building nursing intervention on psychological well-being in Arab community-dwelling older adults

BackgroundPsychological resilience plays a crucial role in the well-being of community-dwelling older adults. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a resilience-building nursing intervention on enhancing psychological well-being in this population. MethodsA randomized controlled trial was conducted with 84 community-dwelling older adults in Abha, Saudi Arabia. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (resilience-building nursing intervention) or the control group (standard care). Psychological resilience and quality of life were assessed using validated scales at baseline, post-intervention, and follow-up. ResultsThe intervention group showed significant improvements in psychological resilience (mean difference: +3.2, p = 0.001) and quality of life (mean difference: +5.4, p = 0.002) at follow-up compared to the control group. Factors influencing resilience included age, gender, socioeconomic status, health status, intervention exposure, community engagement, and living arrangements. ConclusionThe resilience-building nursing intervention effectively enhanced psychological well-being among community-dwelling older adults. Integrating such interventions into routine nursing care can promote holistic well-being and enable older adults to thrive within their communities.

Assessing the Efficacy of Artificial Intelligence-Enabled EFL Learning and Teaching in Saudi Arabia: Perceptions, Perspectives, and Prospects

Assessing the Efficacy of Artificial Intelligence-Enabled EFL Learning and Teaching in Saudi Arabia: Perceptions, Perspectives, and Prospects

Residency program directors’ views on ideal applicant: a national survey

PurposeThe aim of this study is to investigate and highlight the most important factors influencing the candidate’s selection for residency matching by program directors of surgical and non-surgical specialties in Saudi Arabia.MethodThis cross-sectional study was conducted in the Central, Eastern, Western, Northern, and Southern regions of Saudi Arabia from February 1, 2023, to August 31, 2023. A total of sixty-one program directors completed a questionnaire, which was adapted and validated from a previous study with permission and tailored to meet the objectives of this research.ResultsThe mean age of the study population was 40.2 years, with surgical specialty program directors being older at 41.7 years and nonsurgical specialty program directors being younger at 39.6 years. In both cases, the highest importance was given to ‘Applicant’s attitude and professionalism’, followed in surgical specialties by ‘Doing clinical rotations in the PD institution’ and ‘Performance in clinical rotation during internship’ in non-surgical specialties. with a mean score of 4.13 and 4.95, respectively. The importance of ‘The impression/opinion of current residents’ has had a certain importance in both specialties. While the number of research projects was prioritized more by surgical PDs (38.6%) compared to non-surgical PDs (29.4%).ConclusionThis study highlights the critical role of professionalism and a positive attitude in clinical rotations and interviews for program acceptance in Saudi Arabia. The significance of letters of recommendation and research focus varies between surgical and non-surgical program directors. Program directors should adopt effective recruitment strategies that incorporate practical implications during internships.

The Oil Price Shocks and the Monetary Stability in Saudi Arabia

The Oil Price Shocks and the Monetary Stability in Saudi Arabia

PP134 Topic: AS14–Infections: Sepsis and Septic Shock/Antimicrobial Stewardship/Tropical and Parasite Infections/Other: PREDICTORS OF MORTALITY IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED CHILDREN WITH SEVERE SEPSIS AND SEPTIC SHOCK IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT–MULTICENTER STUDY IN SAUDI ARABIA

PP134 Topic: AS14–Infections: Sepsis and Septic Shock/Antimicrobial Stewardship/Tropical and Parasite Infections/Other: PREDICTORS OF MORTALITY IN IMMUNOCOMPROMISED CHILDREN WITH SEVERE SEPSIS AND SEPTIC SHOCK IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT–MULTICENTER STUDY IN SAUDI ARABIA

Real-World safety and effectiveness of evolocumab in primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia in Saudi Arabia

Real-World safety and effectiveness of evolocumab in primary hypercholesterolemia and mixed dyslipidemia in Saudi Arabia

Satisfaction Among Recipients of Cosmetic Facial Filling Procedures at Dermatology Clinics in Saudi Arabia: A National Study

Satisfaction Among Recipients of Cosmetic Facial Filling Procedures at Dermatology Clinics in Saudi Arabia: A National Study

Nexus among Economic Uncertainty, Geopolitical Risk, Oil Price Volatility and Economic Complexity in Saudi Arabia: Fresh Insights from Wavelet Local Multiple Correlations

Enhancing future economic growth through higher economic complexity is vital for sustainable growth strategies. Even though most studies are concerned with the key factors governing the economic complexity process, there needs to be more studies about the impact of risk factors on economic sophistication evolvement, particularly for oil-rentier economies. The present paper intends to delve into the dynamic connectedness between some risk factors, such as economic, political, and geopolitical risks and oil price volatility and the progress of economic complexity. We utilized quarterly data (1995Q1-2021Q4) for Saudi Arabia as a heavy oil-rich economy. As the first study to delve into the short-long term connections at various time scales and frequencies within a multivariable setting, we contribute to the literature by offering a spotless picture of economic complexity risk factors. In doing so, we resort to a novel wavelet local multiple correlation method, which can explore the varying patterns of time periods in the interconnections between the variables. Our findings disclose that oil volatility, geopolitical risk, and global uncertainties are positively connected to economic complexity over the long run. In contrast, their short-term effect is weak and mostly insignificant. These results indicate the resiliency of the Saudi economy to external to oil volatility shocks and intensification of global and local uncertainties. These outcomes offer policymakers new insights and prominent policy recommendations when designing economic strategies to achieve higher economic sophistication and sustainable growth.