Saudi Arabian Healthcare Research Articles

IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING AND DISINFECTION PRACTICES ON INFECTION CONTROL OUTCOMES IN SAUDI ARABIAN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

IMPACT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CLEANING AND DISINFECTION PRACTICES ON INFECTION CONTROL OUTCOMES IN SAUDI ARABIAN HEALTHCARE SETTINGS: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND META-ANALYSIS

Prevalence of Shoulder and Neck Pain Among Healthcare Workers in the Central Region of Saudi Arabia.

Introduction Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) have a tremendous impact on working people and are becoming a serious problem in the modern society. The healthcare system is regarded as having one of the most physically demanding jobs, and the risk of musculoskeletal injuries is high. Irrespective of their age, healthcare workers (HCWs) worldwide frequently experience shoulder and neck pain. In our study, we sought to understand what initiates shoulder and neck pain, such as stress or environmental factors, and what causes shoulder and neck discomfort among Saudi Arabian healthcare professionals. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted from 2022 to 2023, assessing shoulder and neck pain among healthcare workers in the central region of Saudi Arabia. An online survey was used, with 409 participants aged 20 or older. The questionnaire included socio-demographic data, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) questionnaire to measure shoulder pain and disability, neck Bournemouth questionnaire (NBQ) to assess neck pain, and quadruple visual analogue scale (QVAS) to measure the intensity of pain. Results Of the 409 HCWs, 56% were males, and 56.5% belonged to the age group of 20-30 years. The prevalence of high-intensity pain based on QVAS criteria was 29.3%. The mean percentage of neck pain (32.3%) was slightly higher than shoulder pain (31.8%). There was a significant association between the level of pain intensity in terms of the total score of NBQ, SPADI score, and its dimensions. It is interesting to know that HCWs with associated chronic diseases had higher scores in all three questionnaires (NBQ, SPADI, and QVAS). Conclusion High-intensity musculoskeletal pain was relatively high among HCWs. It was found that neck pain affected HCWs more than shoulder pain. Furthermore, an increased pain intensity in the shoulder and neck was more frequently seen in HCWs with chronic diseases. More studies are needed to determine the causes and risk factors for neck and shoulder pain to help improve the healthcare system and patient care.

Impact of gender and staff experience as moderators on the relationship between nursing leadership and patient outcomes in a Saudi Arabian healthcare setting

Impact of gender and staff experience as moderators on the relationship between nursing leadership and patient outcomes in a Saudi Arabian healthcare setting

Dysfunctional leadership: the severe negative impact of bad leadership behavior on Saudi Arabian healthcare employees

PurposeThis paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies.Design/methodology/approachThis briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context.FindingsA study of healthcare employees in Saudi Arabia revealed the harmful effects of dysfunctional leadership behaviors. These included abusive behavior, marginalizing others, engaging in favoritism and degrading employees. The behaviors made employees leave their jobs, feel alienated at work, reduced their commitment and often created serious psychological and physical problems.Originality/valueThe briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Evaluation of the Factors Influencing Self-leadership in the Saudi’s Healthcare Sector: A Systematic Review

Background: Self-leadership in the Saudi Arabian healthcare sector is vital due to the ongoing transformation of this industry. However, research on self-leadership training for Saudi healthcare workers is presently limited. Objective: A systematic literature review is performed, focusing on articles about self-leadership and the impact of factors influencing self-leadership in the Saudi Arabian health sector. Methods: PRISMA reporting was used for this systematic review. Data was sourced from various electronic databases based on predefined selection criteria. Results: Nine studies met the study inclusion criteria and were reviewed further. Results showed a lack of evidence on leadership training for healthcare workers in the Saudi Arabian healthcare sector. In some studies, self-leadership was associated with emotional intelligence, education, job satisfaction, job engagement, and internalized moral skills. High levels of self-leadership positively correlated with increased performance of healthcare workers in the Saudi Arabian health sector. Conclusion: Healthcare workers should have the necessary skills and strategies to develop self-leadership, thus enhancing communication competence and collaboration to achieve high performance in the health sector. Further research is needed in the Saudi Arabian healthcare sector to close the literature gap regarding self-leadership.

Evaluation the Factors Influencing Self-leadership in the Saudi’s Healthcare Sector: Systematic Review

Background Self-leadership in the Saudi Arabian healthcare sector is vital due to the ongoing transformation of this industry. However, research on the self-leadership training for the Saudi healthcare workers is presently limited. Objective A systematic review of literature is performed, focusing on articles pertaining to self-leadership and the impact of factors influencing self-leadership in the Saudi Arabian health sector. Methods PRISMA reporting was used for this systematic review. Data was sourced from various electronic databases, based on predefined selection criteria. Results Nine studies met the study inclusion criteria and were reviewed further. Results showed lack of evidence on the leadership training for healthcare workers in the Saudi Arabian healthcare sector. In some studies, self-leadership was associated with emotional intelligence, education, job satisfaction, job engagement, and the internalized moral skills. High levels of self-leadership positively correlated with increased performance of healthcare workers in the Saudi Arabian health sector. Conclusion Healthcare workers should have the necessary skills and strategies to develop self-leadership, thus enhancing communication competence and collaboration to achieve high performance in the health sector. Further research is needed in the Saudi Arabian healthcare sector to close the literature gap regarding self-leadership.

Investigating the influence of artificial intelligence on quality management in healthcare centers

Background: New emerging technologies enable healthcare centers to enhance their information technology (IT) infrastructure, which offers an opportunity to provide adequate services to patients. In Saudi Arabia, the government has initiated artificial intelligence-based technologies to increase productivity in organizations. However, recent studies demand innovative approaches for quality management in healthcare centers. In addition, there is a scarcity of techniques for evaluating the performance of healthcare professionals. Methods: The study intended to investigate the role of IT in quality management in Saudi Arabian healthcare centers. A set of hypotheses were proposed to identify the relationship between IT and quality management. A web-based questionnaire was used and interviews were conducted in the healthcare centers of Riyadh and Eastern provinces. A total of 233 healthcare professionals and management employees participated in the survey. A mixed-method approach was applied to evaluate the responses. Furthermore, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to draw insights from the data. Results: The outcome reveals a positive relationship between IT and quality management. Moreover, the thematic findings outline the importance of IT competence in healthcare centers. Conclusions: The study's findings can support healthcare centers to deploy valuable tools and techniques to improve the quality of service.

A Framework for Securing Saudi Arabian Hospital Industry: Vision-2030 Perspective

Recent transformation of Saudi Arabian healthcare sector into a revenue producing one has signaled several advancements in healthcare in the country. Transforming healthcare management into Smart hospital systems is one of them. Secure hospital management systems which are breach-proof only can be termed as effective smart hospital systems. Given the perspective of Saudi Vision-2030, many practitioners are trying to achieve a cost-effective hospital management system by using smart ideas. In this row, the proposed framework posits the main objectives for creating smart hospital management systems that can only be acknowledged by managing the security of healthcare data and medical practices. Further, the proposed framework will also be helpful in gaining satisfactory revenue from the healthcare sector by reducing the cost and time involved in managing the smart hospital system. The framework is based on a hybrid approach of three key methods which include: employing the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) and blockchain methodologies for maintaining the security and privacy of healthcare data and medical practices, and using big data analytics methodology for raising the funds and revenue by managing the bulk volume of healthcare data. Moreover, the framework will also be helpful for both the patients and the doctors, thus enabling the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) to meet its goals of Vision-2030 by ensuring low cost, yet credible, healthcare services.

Keeping up with the healthcare transformation: a review and research agenda for new decade of health information system in Saudi Arabia

In the modern world, technology has permeated every aspect of life and been integrated into it. This paper intends to provide an overview of the Saudi Arabian healthcare system's transformation through the use of information technology and to analyse the implications of doing so. To find publications for this review, an electronic search was conducted using the following search engines: PubMed, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, and BioMed Central. The Saudi government places a high premium on healthcare, hence innovative technology have been implemented to transform health care. The use and use of new technology in the Saudi Arabian healthcare system can improve the effectiveness and standard of the patient treatment.

Correlation between biographic profile and compliance to key performance indicators (KPI) for infection control among healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study

Objective: To find out how well Saudi Arabian healthcare workers followed infection control guidelines and determine whether there is a any relationship between the biographic profile of healthcare staff and their degree of compliance with infection control. Methodology: This descriptive-correlation study was conducted on healthcare workers from different Saudi Arabian hospitals. The study used a three-point Likert scale, and the rating scales used were “3” to indicate always, “2” to indicate sometimes, while “1” was used to indicate never. Results: Of 180 respondents, 62.8% were young adults, 73.3% were males, 68.3% were doctoral degree holders, 66.1% were licensed medical doctors, and 39.4% were advanced beginners. Saudi healthcare workers had an overall level of “high compliance” (mean=2.29). Chi-square test of independence (r2) revealed a statistically significant relationship between compliance to infection control practices and the following variables: age (p=0.0100), gender (p=0.0177), educational attainment (p=0.0001), and profession (p<0.0001). Conclusion: In Saudi Arabia, healthcare staff generally follow infection control procedures. Moreover, biographic profiles were significantly associated with the degree of infection prevention practice compliance by healthcare staff.

Reduction of MERS-CoV Transmission among Healthcare Workers and Patients in Saudi Arabian Healthcare Settings: A Scoping Review

Background No review consolidating available evidence of the various interventions for preventing MERS-CoV transmission in healthcare settings has been published to inform practice. The MERS-CoV outbreak in Saudi Arabia led to wide-scale hospitalisations and, among other individuals at risk, healthcare workers (HCW) were one of the most affected groups. This study evaluates the effectiveness of various interventions implemented to prevent MERS-CoV transmission to HCW and MERS-negative patients in Saudi Arabian healthcare settings. Methods This review summarises and evaluates the effectiveness of MERS-CoV infection prevention and control (IPC) measures in Saudi Arabian hospital settings. Instead of using ‘best quality/evidence’ studies, the review has included as many relevant studies as possible. Results Various IPC measures were deemed effective. However, since no analysis of their effectiveness had been undertaken, it was not possible to determine the interventions’ level of effectiveness as applied in hospital settings. The studies appeared to rely on the assumption that the extent of MERS-CoV transmission control observed was a direct reflection of the implemented IPC measures. Conclusions Robust studies, using empirical methods, should be conducted to measure the effectiveness of the various IPC measures developed and implemented to control MERS-CoV transmission

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin Vaccine-Related Osteomyelitis in Immunocompetent Children in Saudi Arabia: A Narrative Review.

The Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine is the most frequently used live-attenuated vaccine worldwide. Since 2002, two BCG vaccination strains, Pasteur 1173 P2 and Tokyo 172-1, have been the mainstay of Saudi Arabian healthcare. In 2005, the Danish 1331 strain was first used as the principal strain in clinical trials. Children can develop osteomyelitis 4-24 months after immunization with the BCG vaccine, an uncommon but serious side effect in immunocompetent children. We conducted this study to review the epidemiology, diagnosis, clinical symptoms, laboratory analyses, imaging features, and management of BCG osteomyelitis in immunocompetent children. Long bone metaphyses and epiphyses are more frequently affected. The diagnosis of BCG osteomyelitis is difficult because the symptoms are vague and subtle, and the duration between presentation and vaccination may range from a few months to a year. Radiography and computed tomography scans for BCG osteomyelitis typically show a devastating lesion with an associated periosteal response. Magnetic resonance imaging frequently reveals a large interosseous abscess indicative of osteomyelitis. There are no current treatment guidelines for BCG osteomyelitis in Saudi Arabia, but antituberculous regimens, particularly isoniazid and rifampicin, have been found to be very effective in previous studies. Although older studies did not favor surgical intervention because of the risk of complications, a few studies performed minor surgical interventions and had good outcomes. As BCG osteomyelitis is an infrequent complication, especially in immunocompetent children, its diagnosis is time-consuming. Therefore, it is critical to inform healthcare workers of this possible complication to make the diagnosis more straightforward and avoid confusion with pyogenic osteomyelitis. As only a few cases have been reported, further studies in Saudi Arabia are required for evidence-based guidelines applicable to actual practice to be established.

An Overview of Missed Nursing Care and Its Predictors in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background Nursing care is holistic, and missing any aspect of care can be critical to patients' health. However, due to the complex and intense nature of the nursing practice, nurses have to unintentionally prioritize some activities, forcing them to omit some aspects of nursing care. Aim To explore the dimensions of missed nursing care and its predictors within the Saudi Arabian healthcare system. Methods Quantitative, cross-sectional study used the MISSCARE survey by utilizing nonprobability convenience sampling to collect the data of 604 staff nurses working in inpatient wards in Jazan, Saudi Arabia. Results The overall mean of missed nursing care is (m = 1.37, SD = 0.45). Missed nursing care activities were mostly failure to attend interdisciplinary care conferences (m = 1.66, SD = 0.96) and patient ambulation thrice a day (m = 1.63, SD = 0.97). Missed nursing care was mainly caused by human resource shortage (m = 3.53, SD = 0.88). Missed nursing care is predicted by the turnover intention (B = 2.380, t = 3.829, p < 001) and job satisfaction (B = −0.864, t = −4.788, p < 001). Conclusion Although missed nursing care is evident in Saudi Arabia, it is significantly lower than the international rates, and it is mainly caused by labor resource shortage which directly influences nurses' job satisfaction and intention to leave. Optimizing the recruitment process, resource allocation and effective nurses' retention programs are proposed solutions that may be beneficial to mitigate missed nursing care.

Evaluating the Extent of Language Barriers Among Health Professionals in the Saudi Arabian Health System

This paper evaluates the cause, extent, and effects of language and cultural barriers within the Saudi Arabia healthcare system that have an indirect or direct effect on both the patient's perceived quality of care and the actual quality of care delivered. A systematic search of different databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, ProQuest, MEDLINE, and ScinceDirect.) was conducted. Using the following search terms language barrier’ AND ‘health’ AND ‘Saudi Arabia’. Additionally, the search terms ‘safety’ AND ‘quality’. The findings illustrate that the Saudi Arabian healthcare system is subject to significant impacts due to poor communication as a result of evident language barriers. Accordingly, it is proposed that individual level and an overall strategy for enhancing language and communication in healthcare across the Kingdom are implemented, including both technological solutions and organisational and human resource-based solutions. A proposed timeline for implementing these various strategies has been provided. Keywords: language barriers, Saudi Arabia healthcare system, language and communication in healthcare

Maturity of Clinical Audit Concept in Saudi Arabian Health Care Practice: A Review

Based on 2030 vision of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), improving the quality of preventive and therapeutic health care services is one of the targets that set out by the National Transformation Program (NTP). Clinical Audit (CA) is one of the great tools of quality improvement worldwide. Although a CA program was initiated just a while ago in Saudi Arabia, in this short duration the maturity of this practice in this country is evident in various documentations. However, it is still a long path to go in this practice as many health professionals are not yet mindful about the positive implications and benefits of this concept. In this consideration, this article was attempted to highlight the concepts, broad principles of and the mandatory stages in implementing CA practice to a success. Apart from that the leadership role in materializing CA, the barriers to its success, as well as, the pattern of CA practice in Saudi Arabian health care system in achieving its maturity have also been outlined.

The National Strategies for and Challenges in Infection Prevention and Control of the Healthcare System in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Review Study).

Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) lead to considerable morbidity. Prolonged hospital HAIs, also known as hospital infections or nosocomial infections, refer to infectious diseases that occur within 48 h of hospital admission, within three days of discharge or 30 days after having received healthcare. A total of 39 government-owned hospitals with a total of 10,822 beds providing the majority (59.9%) of Saudi Arabian healthcare were analyzed. Medicare and Medicaid use hospital data to track hospital performance on matters pertaining to IPC. In addition, many hospitals have limited capacity with which to develop the core components required to build an effective IPC programme. Hajj has been associated with the increased prevalence and spread of infectious diseases. These factors include changes in human demographics and behaviour, the effect of new technologies and industries, an increase in international travel and commerce, and breakdown resulting from public health measures. Overall public health service expenditure originates from the administration and services that are provided free of charge to all Saudi citizens.

Primary Caregivers Caring for a Child at End of Life in Saudi Arabia.

Background:Caring for children at end of life (EOL) can be devastating for primary caregivers who are responsible for the physical, social, and emotional needs of their dying child. Limited information was found on resources in Saudi Arabia to manage the impact on primary caregivers from caring for a child receiving end of life care (EOLC).Purpose:The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of primary caregivers caring for a child receiving EOLC within the Saudi Arabian health care system.Methods:A descriptive phenomenological study was conducted, and 24 female primary caregivers were interviewed individually. Participants were recruited from three hospitals and the surrounding community in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The data were collected over a period of seven weeks between August and September of 2019. Individual in-depth interviews were conducted using an 11-item investigator-developed interview guide derived from the literature on EOL. Thematic analysis was completed using transcripts from all interviews.Results:The findings suggest that primary caregivers caring for a child receiving EOLC were impacted psychologically, physically, socially, and financially. Primary caregivers expressed their heartbreak, lack of sleep, isolation, and financial challenges while caring for their child at EOL.Conclusions:Similar to what has been reported in the literature, primary caregivers caring for a child at EOL experience biopsychosocial and financial challenges. In addition, this study has implications for nursing education, practice, policy, and research regarding EOLC. Also, the findings can guide future research on EOL in Saudi Arabia and worldwide.

Big Data Quality in Healthcare Organizations in Saudi Arabia

The adoption of Big Data analytics by organizations has been expanding across numerous industries, bringing both advantages and challenges. The primary challenge stems from the insufficient quality of data used in the analysis process, as well as its impact on the value of the acquired insights. Therefore, the objective of this research is to investigate the factors that influence the quality of Big Data in Saudi Arabian healthcare organizations. These factors include clear business objectives, data source, data analysis, data quality dimensions, customer engagement, and assessment tools. To investigate these aspects, a descriptive and analytical design is used. Additionally, a questionnaire is distributed in both Arabic and English to 350 respondents working within Saudi Arabia's healthcare industry from a variety of occupations and management positions. To analyse the data acquired via the questionnaire, the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) is employed. The study's results indicate that the factors analysed have a significant effect on the quality of Big Data in healthcare organizations. The findings of this study will fill the gap in the existing literature by addressing factors that have not been explored in combination previously.

Correlation between Biographic Profile and Compliance to Key Performance Indicator (KPI) for Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) among Healthcare Workers in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Purpose: We aimed to find out how well Saudi Arabian healthcare workers followed infection control guidelines and determine whether there is a considerable relationship between the biographic profile of healthcare staff and their degree of compliance with infection control Key Performance Indicator (KPI).&#x0D; Methods: This descriptive-correlation study was conducted on healthcare workers from different Saudi Arabian hospitals. The study used a three-point Likert scale, and the rating scales used were “3” to indicate always, “2” to indicate sometimes, while “1” was used to indicate never.&#x0D; Results: Of the 180 respondents, 62.8% of the included healthcare workers were young adults, 73.3% were males, 68.3% were doctoral degree holders, 66.1% were licensed medical doctors, and 39.4% were advanced beginners. Saudi healthcare workers have an overall level of “high compliance” (mean=2.29). Most of the study respondents had “high compliance” with the strategies of infection control. Chi-square test of independence (r2) revealed a statistically significant relationship between compliance to infection control practices and the following variables: age (p=0.0100), sex (p=0.0177), educational attainment (p=0.0001), and profession (p&lt;0.0001).&#x0D; Conclusions: In Saudi Arabia, healthcare staff generally follow infection control procedures. Moreover, biographic profiles are significantly associated with the degree of infection prevention practice compliance by healthcare staff.

Colorectal cancer screening challenges in Saudi Arabia. A comprehensive review article

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Saudi Arabia and usually presents late in patients, who become symptomatic in advanced stages; thus, most cases of CRC in Saudi Arabia have poor outcomes. Saudi Arabia currently follows published guidelines and recommends screening for CRC because early diagnosis is critical; the Saudi Arabian healthcare system runs a program “Colorecal Cancer Early Detection” that has been rolled out in a gradual fashion. A screening program would aim to find individuals with asymptomatic CRC, educate patients, and streamline the process of screening for medium- and high-risk people. Currently, the Saudi Arabian population present minimal knowledge regarding CRC, the benefits of screening, and the importance of regular screening. The Saudi population is heavily dependent on physician recommendations for CRC screening, but physicians working in primary healthcare rarely recommend screening for CRC even in patients who have risk factors. The screening program for CRC in Saudi Arabia is cost effective. Public education is necessary along with expanded colonoscopy resources to continue enhance citizen participation and overcome the barriers of CRC screening such as physician recommendation and female gender low participation.