Saudi Females Research Articles

Delving into the Depth: Exploring the Role of Reflective Journaling on L2 Saudi Students’ Academic Writing Practices

Reflective journaling has been acknowledged as a valuable tool for fostering active learning among students. Many studies have examined its effects on second language (L2) students' skills. However, a limited number of studies have investigated its impact on L2 undergraduate students’ writing practices, particularly in the Saudi context. Additionally, the exploration of L2 students’ perceptions of reflective journaling in academic writing has received scant attention. Therefore, this study aimed to explore how reflective journals contribute to developing L2 Saudi students’ academic writing and their perceptions about using reflective journals in writing. A qualitative research approach was employed to collect data from 13 female Saudi students enrolled in an academic writing course at a public Saudi university. The primary data sources for the study were reflective journal entries and semi-structured interviews. The qualitative content analysis of the collected data revealed that most students found reflective journaling helpful for their writing practices. Specifically, it assisted them in exploring the complexity of academic writing, monitoring their writing practices to refine their skills, and cultivating an academic writer identity. However, students reported that they faced challenges while writing reflective journals, which were time-consuming and lacked constant feedback on their journal entries. The study concludes with several recommendations for L2 writing instructors and researchers.

Insights into Colorectal Cancer Screening Awareness: A Study in the Community of Taif City

ABSTRACT Colorectal cancer (CRC) is highly prevalent among Saudi males and females. Understanding its symptoms, risk factors, and screening is vital. This study aims to gauge CRC awareness in Taif City, Saudi Arabia, based on demographics. An observational study in Taif City surveyed awareness on colorectal screening, gathering data from March-April 2023 via a questionnaire covering demographics, screening knowledge, symptoms, and risk factors. Involving 551 participants, most were 19-40 years old (59.2%), female (65.9%), and had a bachelor’s degree (71.3%). Notably, 49.2% hadn’t visited a family doctor. Awareness on CRC screening was low. 37.7% knew about fecal occult blood tests, 32.7% about sigmoidoscopy, and 34.8% about colonoscopy. Only 27.6% knew the recommended screening age, and 2.4% the frequency. Participants sought information mainly online (45.7%) or from friends (24.1%). Recognized risk factors included family history (57.0%), blood in stool (58.8%), and abdominal pain (47.9%). The study highlights inadequate awareness about CRC screening in Taif. It underscores the necessity for targeted education campaigns, collaboration with healthcare professionals, and diverse information sources to improve understanding among the population.

Normal Elbow Angles in Saudi Population: Radiographic Study

Background: In this study, we aimed to measure normal elbow radiographic angles in the Saudi population and compare the normal range of elbow angles between Saudi males and females, as well as those previously measured in other populations. Methods: Anteroposterior and lateral plain radiographs of 304 normal elbows from 153 females and 151 males from the Saudi population, aged > 18 years, were assessed. Radiographs, 174 right elbows, and 130 left elbows were studied retrospectively, between 2018 and 2023 in our institute. Only normal elbow radiographs with acceptable quality were included. The standard radiographic elbow measurements were collected. Data analysis was conducted with Student’s t-test for parametric data and Wilcoxon Mann–Whitney U test for nonparametric data. Two certified orthopedic surgeons performed the measurements independently. Interobserver and intraobserver errors were measured. Results: All the radiographic elbow measurements in Saudis did not show any significant sexual dimorphism or difference between sides. The radiographic angles obtained on the anteroposterior view appeared more reliable than lateral view angles. Unlike carrying angle (CA), measurements of radiographic elbow angles in Saudis were inconsistent with previously published values. Conclusions: The elbow radiographic anatomical parameters of the Saudi population were not consistent with previously published values except for CA. The presence of a significant impact of geographical or racial variation on elbow radiographic anatomy requires additional investigations.

Levels and Major Causes of Saudi Students’ Speaking Anxiety (SA) in EFL Classrooms

The current study examined students’ levels of English SA and its major causes. It adopted a mixed-method approach that included both quantitative (structured questionnaire) and qualitative (semi-structured interviews) data. Fifty first-year female Saudi secondary school students completed a structured questionnaire and 8 of them were interviewed. The findings revealed that students experienced a moderate level of anxiety when speaking English in the classroom. Moreover, students’ SA was caused by several causes, such as communication apprehension, low self-confidence, linguistic barriers, fear of negative evaluation, and fear of making mistakes. The study recommends that teachers should learn to detect and recognize the signs of students’ SA, motivate their students and help them to be more self-confident. Furthermore, they need to assure their students that making mistakes is an important part of the learning process and stress the significance of respecting classmates when they make mistakes. They also need to work on enhancing the linguistic components that cause hesitancy and anxiousness among students. Finally, teachers can consider requesting additional support, for example from the school principal, beyond what is available in the classroom.

Knowledge, Awareness, Attitudes and Practices toward Perimenopausal Symptoms among Saudi Females.

Women's knowledge about perimenopause plays a crucial role in shaping their perception of related illnesses, influencing coping strategies, treatment adherence, and the overall management of this life stage. This cross-sectional study assessed the awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding perimenopause among 409 Saudi women attending primary healthcare centers. Participants completed a structured questionnaire addressing demographic data, awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to perimenopause. While 75.3% of the participants were aware of perimenopause, only 17.4% could identify more than 10 out of 20 perimenopause symptoms. Commonly recognized symptoms included menstrual irregularity (67.7%), mood swings (66.0%), and mood fluctuations (50.4%). Only 23.0% had optimal knowledge about perimenopause complications. Additionally, 73.3% had not consulted a doctor for perimenopause-related issues. An analysis of the overall knowledge score showed a mean (SD) = 14.82 (5.64) out of 34. The level of knowledge was independently associated with a higher educational level, more frequent perimenopause symptoms, and regular doctor visits. This study reveals high awareness but insufficient knowledge among Saudi women regarding perimenopause symptoms and complications associated with higher perimenopause morbidity and a lack of engagement with healthcare professionals. It underscores the need for early and continued education on perimenopause, improved doctor-patient communication, and specific interventions to boost knowledge and attitudes toward perimenopause.

Measures of health-related quality of life in PCOS women: a cross sectional study from Saudi Arabia.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine-gynecologic disorder affecting women of childbearing age. It has a wide range of clinical manifestations, including menstrual irregularity, infertility, hirsutism, acne, and obesity. Studies have confirmed that PCOS can significantly reduce a patient's health-related quality of life (HRQoL). The pathophysiology of PCOS is poorly understood, but it is believed to be caused by the interaction of several factors. Moreover, there is a lack of information about HRQoL among PCOS women in Saudi Arabia. This study aims to assess the HRQoL of PCOS patients by using the Arabic Version of the Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Health-Related Quality of life Questionnaire (AR-PCOSQ) in Riyadh city. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 281 women in Riyadh city using the translated questionnaire (AR-PCOSQ) to explore PCOS quality of life among Saudi females. The eligibility criteria were Saudi female who had been diagnosed with PCOS, living in Riyadh city, aged 18 and above, and willing to participate. The sample size was estimated using the 10-events-per variable rule for prediction models (REF). Informed consent was taken from all participants and a Google Form was used to create the survey and collect data. The higher score represents poor QOL. However, the analysis revealed that higher scores of the weight-related QOL had the greatest impact on patients' quality of life in older age groups, including women aged 26 to 35 (beta = 0.143, 95% CI, 0.023 to 0.304, p-value = 0.046) and women aged > 35 (beta = 0.229, 95% CI, 0.039 to 0.428, p = 0.011). Other domains of QOL, such as emotions, body hair, infertility, and menstrual problems, were not significantly predicted by any of the women's demographic characteristics. The findings revealed that PCOS-related conditions such as weight problems, menstrual irregularity, and infertility were associated with a reduction in quality of life.

Drug Abuse Educational Program for Saudi University Students: A Pre-test and Post-test Design.

Background and objective Designing a consistent preventive drug abuse program and evaluating the educational needs of diverse target groups, school curricula, and new instructional materials customized to a country's socioeconomic and cultural characteristics should be used. This research aims to assess the influence of an educational program on university students' awareness of drug abuse. Methodology A cross-sectional study using a pre-test questionnaire with predetermined questions was conducted with 102 participants. The educational program about drug abuse prevention measures was subsequently implemented. After the program was completed, a post-test was administered to the students, and the results were compared to the pre-test results. The data were collected from male and female Saudi students at a university in the western area of Saudi Arabia. Results The pre-test findings indicate that the students had already received some information on drug use and abuse, but the post-test results show that their awareness rose as a result of the drug abuse educational program. Conclusion Drug abuse is a major problem all across the world, including in Saudi Arabia. However, educational programs will help to increase knowledge and awareness of this issue.

An analysis of the intention of female pharmacy students to work in community pharmacy settings in Saudi Arabia using the theory of planned behavior

ObjectiveThis study aimed to determine the intention of female Saudi pharmacy students to work in community pharmacies and the factors associated with this intention. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted between April 2022 and June 2022 and included female students from pharmacy colleges in Saudi Arabia. The survey was created based on the Theory of Planned Behavior. It included items that measure student intentions, attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control regarding working in community pharmacies in Saudi Arabia. The study also included items that assessed sociodemographic characteristics, pharmacy program degrees, training, and job preferences of students. ResultsA total of 407 participants completed the survey. The average age was 21.8 (±1.6) years, and most participants were Saudi nationals (97.79 %). The intention of participants to work in community pharmacies after graduation was low (mean = 3.2 ± 1.8; range: 1–7). Slightly positive attitudes toward working in a community pharmacy after graduation were revealed as participants showed an overall attitude mean of 4.5 ± 1.6 (range: 1–7). Furthermore, the participants perceived a low social pressure toward working in a community pharmacy after graduation (mean of 3.3 ± 1.9; range: 1–7). The intention of female pharmacy students to work in community pharmacies was significantly predicted by attitudes (p-value < 0.0001), perceived behavioral control (p-value = 0.0017), nationality (p-value = 0.0151), residence in the Saudi Arabian region (p-value = 0.0013), monthly income (p-value = 0.0231), pharmacy degree program (p-value = 0.0035), training received in community pharmacies (p-value = 0.0145), had a relative working in a community pharmacy (p-value = 0.0257), and preference to work in community pharmacies after graduation (p-value = 0.0001). ConclusionFemale pharmacy students in Saudi Arabia had a low intention to work in community pharmacies, a positive attitude toward working in community pharmacies, and perceived no social pressure to work in them. A positive attitude and behavioral perception of control toward working in community pharmacies were demonstrated among pharmacy students who study at a university outside Riyadh, undertaking a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy, have a monthly income higher than 5000 Saudi riyals (USD 1,333.3), previously received training in community pharmacies, having a relative working in a community pharmacy, prefer to work in community pharmacies after graduation.

Saudi EFL Students’ Perceptions Towards the Impact of YouTube on Improving Speaking Skills

The significance of integrating technology in education, especially the widely and frequently used platform “YouTube”, is found in its ability to provide accessible and various educational resources, meeting the needs of diverse learning styles and enhancing active engagement. Since YouTube is one of the preferred applications utilized by Saudi individuals, this study investigated the impact of using YouTube on enhancing the speaking skills of EFL male and female Saudi students from different Saudi universities. This study was conducted during the first semester of the academic year 2021- 2022. A questionnaire was used as the study instrument. It was adapted from Binmahboob’s (2020) study and modified according to the study’s purposes. The questionnaire contained 17 items divided into two sections. 79 EFL students from different Saudi universities participated. Fifty-nine of them were females, while 20 were males. The findings of the study revealed that YouTube videos had a high positive perspective from the participants. In other words, it can be concluded that YouTube videos enhance the speaking skills of EFL university students. Based on these finding, some recommendations and implications were provided.

When East Meets West: A Comparative Analysis of Credibility and Persuasive Appeals in Cross-Cultural Email Negotiations between Genders

The bulk of studies focusing on cross-cultural variations in persuasive appeals examines letters or newspaper articles (Al-Ali 2006; Alhudhaif, 2005; Bhatia, 2014; Connor et al., 1995; Ismail, 2010). It is rare for a study to examine persuasive appeals within intercultural settings via email communication for academic proposal purposes. Typical findings of these cross-cultural studies suggest that non-native English speakers do not use rational appeals as frequently as native speakers and focus more on effective appeals. However, these studies did not base their judgements on interactive communications and the cross-cultural comparison of newspapers or political texts is hardly comparable. To this end, this paper provides a more fine-grain analysis by linking between the new impoliteness framework and persuasive appeals (impeded within genre analysis) to explore gender and cultural differences. the differences in email negotiations persuasive appeals where relevant by using comparable email data written by both cultural groups (i.e. Australians and Saudis). The results indicate that both focused on rational appeals, using far fewer credible and affective appeals. However, there were significant differences in the way both cultures utilised these appeals. In the affective appeals, Saudi men made more compliments and used more emotional and (im) polite requests than Saudi females. With the credibility appeals, Saudi women made more self-promotional moves than men, portraying the self as competent and distinguished.

Exploring Students' Perspectives on the Implementation of a Self-Organised Learning Environment

This critical participatory action research explored undergraduate female Saudi students' perspectives on the implications of a self-organised learning environment (SOLE) via their mobile devices. Data was gathered from interviews and focus groups using a convenience sample of 27 undergraduate students and the researcher's reflective journals. The proposed intervention gave students opportunities for engagement and enhanced a spirit of cooperation, which led to the students enjoying their classes. Furthermore, SOLE encouraged the students to evaluate their ideas before posting them. Participating in SOLE helped the students to understand and recall the relevant course content. However, some challenging aspects, e.g., misleading information, emerged during the study's first phase, along with some technical issues.

Occupational Safety and Health for Adult Saudi Arabian Women: Utilizing National Anthropometric Data.

In the last five years, the female labor force has increased rapidly in Saudi Arabia. This is due to the new government's vision to empower women. For many decades, Saudi females were excluded from working in certain fields due to cultural restrictions. Nowadays, Saudi women are not only joining the service workforce but are currently employed in more physically demanding careers, such as manufacturing and military jobs, which were previously dominated by males. It becomes necessary to design workplaces, tools, and equipment to safely accommodate the female physical attributes, which include body dimensions. This study presents the anthropometric measurements of Saudi Arabian adult females. In total, 504 female subjects aged 20-70 participated in the study. Thirty-eight body measurements, including weight and triceps skinfold, were taken in sitting and standing postures. The main contribution of this study is to provide a national anthropometric database of Saudi females, which is very limited, especially for females in the age groups under study. The availability of such data will allow foreign and local manufacturers to design usable and safe products and workspaces for a wide range of Saudi adult females. The findings reveal that there are no significant differences in the body dimensions of Saudi females across all age groups, except for stature height, eye height, chest depth, skinfold (mm), sitting height, buttock-knee length, and hip breadth. The study also reveals that Saudi females' body sizes are different from other Asian, Middle Eastern, and British nations, which invalidates the assumption of using other nations' body measurements to estimate Saudis' body measurements. Utilizing the supermarket cashier workstation to assess the appropriateness of commercial station fit for Saudi females' body dimensions, the results underscore the crucial role of anthropometric measurements in addressing differences between product design and the unique body dimensions of Saudi females. The identified anthropometric mismatch highlights potential risks, emphasizing the threat to the working safety of Saudi females. Moreover, the data can be used by health professionals as a base to evaluate the health of Saudi adult females. Descriptive statistics and extreme values are determined. The data are presented in standard anthropometric tables.

Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice on Cervical Cancer Prevention among Female University Students in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.

Cervical Cancer (CC) is the fourth most frequent malignancy worldwide among females with significant death rates. It ranks as the 8th most frequent cancer in Saudi female. CC is preventable, with likelihood of full treatment by early detection, because of its long pre-invasive period. Lack of awareness and practice on CC prevention and screening increase the risk of disease. to examine knowledge, attitude, and practice on CC prevention among Saudi female university students. A facility-based cross-sectional study with a convenience sample included 594 female university students studying at health and non-health colleges of Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University in Al-Kharj City, Saudi Arabia. All female students were asked to complete an online questionnaire on knowledge, attitude, and practice on CC prevention. A total of 594 respondents to the questionnaire, 88.7% of them had unsatisfactory knowledge about CC. Out of a total of 27 points, students' knowledge mean score was 9.3 ± 6.4. Conversely the majority of students (94.4%) had positive attitude toward CC; the mean attitude score was 34.52 ± 5.04 out of 45. Regarding students practice, less than 7% of students were vaccinated against HPV and only 3.7% were screened for cancer cervix. Married females, health colleges students, and high attitude score were significant predictors for the students' knowledge about cancer cervix (P < 0.05). Majority of the respondents displayed lack of knowledge; however, they had a positive attitude toward CC. Very alarmingly, almost all of students had inadequate practice regarding CC prevention. So, the study recommends developing and implementing educational programs and strategies for female university students to improve their knowledge and practice related to cervix cancer. Results of this study provide evidence that can help in formulating effective awareness strategies and educational programs for women that would help in CC prevention.

Acne Vulgaris in Saudi Arabia – Myths and Common Misconceptions: A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Acne vulgaris is a long-term condition of the sebaceous glands that usually occurs during puberty. The mean prevalence of acne in Saudi males is 54% and ranges from 54% to 84% among Saudi females. Despite the high prevalence of acne vulgaris, it is shrouded in multiple misconceptions that are widely spread among the general public and among patients with acne. Purpose: This study is conducted to assess the knowledge, awareness, and widespread myths and misconceptions about acne vulgaris. Methods: A cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in Saudi Arabia in August 2022 through 1164 self-administered, convenient sampling technique online questionnaires. Sociodemographic data, as well as knowledge regarding acne and its treatment, were collected and evaluated. Results: Three-quarters of the respondents (73%) knew that stress precipitated acne, and two-thirds (66%) knew that fat-rich food could increase the risk of developing acne. Knowledge was lower in males than females, while a family history of acne was associated with higher knowledge. Most respondents (76%) knew that hormonal changes could precipitate acne. More than half of the respondents did not know whether Vitamin A derivatives increased the risk of depression (61%), anxiety, and stress (55%). Three-quarters of the respondents (73%) knew that stress precipitated acne, and two-thirds (66%) knew that fat-rich food could increase the risk of developing acne. The most common source of information was the Internet (40.8%) followed by social media platforms (25.2%) and physicians (15.2%). Conclusion: There was an adequate level of knowledge. Approximately half of the respondents declared the Internet as a source of their information. We recommend physicians to educate their patients about acne, to elaborate society-oriented campaigns, and to encourage dermatologists to spread information through the Internet and social media platforms as they are considered a major source of information in this study.

Grave&amp;apos;s disease in a 4 years old Saudi girl; a case report

Background: Graves&amp;apos; disease is rarely diagnosed in children under 5 years. It can lead to serious developmental and growth problems if it is not early diagnosed and properly managed. Case presentation: A case of 4-year-old Saudi female was presented with family history of hyperthyroidism and unremarkable past medical history. She was presented to the emergency department with on and off fever, irritability, thyroid swelling and bilateral eye protrusion with no other positive clinical findings. Her thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was low (0.005 uIU/ml), and free thyroxine (T4) was normal (18.78 pmol/L). Thyroid ultrasound showed diffused enlargement of both lobes. Electrocardiogram revealed sinus tachycardia and incomplete bundle branch block. The patient was diagnosed with Graves&amp;apos; disease and started carbimazole and B-blocker treatment. Although it is usually a disease of older patients, Graves&amp;apos; disease should be considered in cases of tachycardia in children. As relapses are common in such cases, an appropriate management plan and follow up should be counted to achieve long term remission. Conclusion: Tachycardia in children should be taken seriously where hyperthyroidism to be considered. Treatment options are variable to achieve control and long-term remissions.

The Level of Knowledge, Awareness, and Practice Regarding Osteoporosis among Female Adults in Hail city, Saudi Arabia

This is a cross-sectional study conducted on the adult female population of Hail city. Informed consent was obtained from the participants through the electronic survey. The sample size needed to enroll was 384, estimated from the total female population of Hail city 267,113 by Raosoft sample size calculator, with a 95% confidence interval and 5% margin of error (General Authority for statistics). All Saudi females in Hail city constituted the study population. However, all non-Saudi females and males, Saudi or otherwise, were excluded from the study population. We used the Osteoporosis Knowledge Assessment Tool (OKAT) which was pre-validated, translated to Arabic, and self-answered questionnaire. The OKAT survey is a valid measurement of knowledge of risk factors for osteoporosis, (Tania M Winzenberg et al, 2003). It consists of 20 statements; the first 12 assess the knowledge of osteoporosis, 4 questions assess the attitude towards osteoporosis and the last 4 questions assess the preventive factors of osteoporosis. Each statement has three choices, true, false, and I do not know. The OKAT survey was translated into Arabic language which is found to be reliable and acceptable according to Sayed-Hassan et al. The questionnaire was distributed randomly through social media platforms during the period from March to May 2020. Keywords: Knowledge, awareness, practice, osteoporosis, Saudi Arabia

Impact of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic on Quality of Life among Adults in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Background: The Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) pandemic indeed had a far-reaching and significant impact on the quality of life (QoL) worldwide. Its implications affected various facets of people\'s lives, including health, social interactions, economy, and mental well-being. Aim of the Study: This study aimed to elucidate the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on QoL of adults in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Methods: A quantitative, non-experimental, descriptive, and correlational cross-sectional design was utilized, 440 adult residents of Riyadh participated in a Microsoft e-survey between October and December 2021 were recruited. The WHOQOL-BREF, a self-administered questionnaire, was employed for data collection; t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test were applied. Results: Results showed the majority of participants were Saudi females, married, aged between 30 and 48, possessing a bachelor\'s degree in education. On average, participants rated their QoL at 4.12 ± 0.86. The highest-rated domain was physical health (67.30 ± 16.89), followed by social relationships (66.55 ± 22.34), psychological well-being (65.62 ± 17.17), and environment (62.86 ± 17.04). Correlation analysis revealed a positive relationship between participants\' perception of QoL and all variables, particularly with their general physical health. Only age emerged as a statistically significant predictor of participants’ perception of QoL. Conclusion: The findings indicate that adults in Riyadh demonstrated a positive perception of their QoL and general health post-COVID-19 pandemic, reflecting a substantial level of satisfaction.

Presenting Symptoms of Colorectal Cancer in a Tertiary University Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Abstract Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the most common cancer among Saudi males with age standardized rate (SAR) of 12.9 and 12.5/100,000 in 2016 and 2017, respectively, and the third most common cancer among Saudi females with (SAR) of 9.5 and 10.9/100,000 in 2016 and 2017, respectively. Aim: The aim of this study is to identify the presenting symptoms of CRC in our population and to improve our ability to diagnose it and treat it as early as possible. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective analysis, the medical records of all patients diagnosed with CRC in King Khalid University Hospital during 2016 and 2017 (n = 266), were reviewed. Results: The median age at diagnosis was 59 years (standard deviation = 13.6), 52 (22%) of those patients were younger than 50 years old, and 20 (9.9%) were younger than 40 years old. 137 (58%) of them are males. The most common presenting symptoms were abdominal pain (n = 115, 54.8%), weight loss (n = 96, 45.7%), and hematochezia (n = 88, 41.9), For more than half of the patients, bleeding per rectum was not reported, and for the majority of the patients younger than 50 years old, only (n = 24, 49%) presented with bleeding per rectum, abdominal pain (n = 32, 65.3%) and weight loss (n = 21, 42.9%). 87 patients (48%) had stage III tumor at presentation while 44 (24%) had stage IV. Conclusion: diagnosis of CRC should have a high index of suspicion to diagnose it at an earlier stage and have a better outcome, especially in the younger population.

Barriers to Tdap vaccination among women attending primary health care centers in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia, 2023

Objective: This study aimed to assess the perceptions and factors influencing pertussis vaccination among childbearing women in the Al-Ahsa region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional analytic and descriptive study was conducted among 384 Saudi females of childbearing age (18-40 years) who had previously been pregnant and attended primary healthcare centers in the Al-Ahsa region. Participants were randomly selected and completed a self-administered questionnaire that collected data on demographic characteristics, knowledge and perceptions of pertussis and its vaccine, and barriers to vaccination. Results: The majority of participants (74.8%) were aged 30-40 years, and 73.8% had a bachelor&amp;apos;s degree or higher. While 86% of participants recognized vaccines as preventive measures, 85.2% believed it is better to avoid immunizations during pregnancy. However, 85.7% had attended health activities providing information on vaccinations during pregnancy, and 86% expressed interest in attending future awareness programs. Significant differences were found between educational levels and vaccine perceptions, with higher education correlating with better knowledge and positive attitude towards vaccination. Conclusion: There was a high level of awareness about pertussis and its vaccine among women in the Al-Ahsa region, yet misconceptions about vaccine safety during pregnancy persist. Educational interventions and stronger physician recommendations are crucial to improve vaccine uptake.

Gender-Related Microaggressions in Orthopedic Surgery: A Comprehensive Survey of Women Orthopedists and Implications for Progress, Saudi Arabia.

Microaggressions are subtle and often unintentional acts that can be verbal, nonverbal, or environmental, and they convey negative messages to individuals belonging to marginalized social groups. This study aims to determine the prevalence of microaggressions experienced by female Saudi orthopaedic surgeons. This cross-sectional study was conducted online and targeted female in orthopedic surgery across different regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The survey was uploaded to Google Forms and distributed through social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp by well-trained data collectors. In this survey we included 96 female Saudi orthopedics. Their mean age was 27.46 ± 12.20 years. Most respondents were either residents (52.63%), or specialists (23.16%). Most participants (92.63%) were still in training or early in their careers, with the vast majority (93.68%) had their residency in Saudi Arabia. Nearly three-fifths (61.05%) have reported experiencing microaggressions as victims, 76.84%, did not see themselves as perpetrators of microaggressions, 23.16% acknowledged having engaged in such behavior. Patients or their families were reported to be involved in microaggressions in 43.16% of cases, while male surgeons and male support staff were implicated at 51.58% and 23.16%, respectively. Additionally, other male medical doctors participate in microaggressions in 33.68% of instances. Female surgeons were identified as being involved in 22.11% of microaggressions, whereas 29.47% involve female support staff. The study's outcomes can help inform strategies to promote a supportive and inclusive environment within the field of orthopaedic surgery, encouraging positive interactions and equitable opportunities for all practitioners.