Nutritional assessment and obesity in Down syndrome children and their siblings in Saudi Arabia

To assess the nutritional status and prevalence of obesity among children with Down syndrome [DS]. The study group comprised pre-pubertal children, with clinically and cytogenetically proven DS. Healthy siblings, closest in age to the DS children, were used as a control group. Body weight, height, body mass index [BMI], triceps skinfold thickness [TSFT], and macro- and micronutrient intakes were measured in both groups. The study was conducted in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, between February and May 2011. Children with DS were shorter than their siblings, but had comparable weights. The DS children had higher BMIs and higher TSFTs, compared with their siblings. The prevalence of overweight and obesity differed significantly between the DS and control groups. The DS children had significantly lower intakes of fat, protein, retinol, riboflavin, and potassium compared with their siblings. Obesity appears to be a prominent feature among Saudi DS children

Physician as a manager: personal and managerial characteristics, Saudi Arabia

The emergence of physicians' roles in key administrative positions within many King Saudi Arabia health care organizations has represented a major change in the medical profession over the last two decades. This have created a need for physicians who are willing to assume a high level of responsibility for managing evolving health care organizations. The study explores the perception of physician managers regarding their work, personal and managerial characteristics. The data for this study were obtained from a sample of 200 physicians working in management positions in different health care organizations in Riyadh. Physicians were selected at random with probability proportional to size from a list containing managers in all health care organization to participate in the study. Our results indicated that physician managers lack administration skills. No formal training in medical administration and management because management principles are not integrated in the medical context and the majority were experienced in management for less than four years. Very few possess the technical competencies such as strategic planning, financial and economics knowledge. Boredom with medical practice, improvement of personal position and encouragement from others are related to being older, having more years in medicine and interest in medicine is reduced. The finding also supported the notion that physician manager can maintain stable levels of loyality to professional interest and organization. This dual commitment is related to work-related characteristics involving sharing his time favorably to management job and to patient care. To improve their management skills physicians can benefit from management education programs such as those offered by King Saud University

Physicians', nurses' and patients' perception with hospital medical records at a military hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

A medical record contains data on patients to support current and continuing patient care. Medical Records Department has the traditional role of keeping the patient's records safe. This is the first attempt in the Kingdom, to the best of our knowledge, to assess the feasibility of introducing electronic medical records. The aim of the study was to assess the views of physicians, patients and nurses of medical records services and physicians' views on the use of electronic medical records. The study was conducted with physicians, nurses and patients selected randomly from the Military hospital in Riyadh. The data was collected via a self- administered, pilot-tested, internally consistent questionnaire. On the staff of medical records, the highest mean score was obtained for confidentiality [2.92], and the lowest for the training of medical staff [1.88]. On medical record documents, the highest mean score was reported for "information is confidentially maintained" [2.70], and the lowest for the organization of files within file sections [2.28]. On the Medical Records Department, the highest mean score was reported for overstaffing [2.89], and the lowest for receptiveness of receptionists [2.27]. Physicians had low scores for computer literacy, ranging from 1% for prior computer experience to 27% for owning a computer. Physicians were not enthusiastic about the change to electronic medical records. Despite the observed shortcomings of the existing medical records system, it is not expected that medical records would be computerized in the near future since physicians have not accepted this technology wholeheartedly

Patients' perspective on factors affecting utilization of primary health care centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The aim of this study is to assess factors which the patients think can encourage, discourage or have no effect on utilization of Primary Health Care Centers [PHCCs] in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Patients [n=540] attending the selected PHCCs in Riyadh were asked regarding their views on 21 [factors] items and whether they can encourage, discourage or has no effect on utilization of PHCCs services. Eight PHCCs were randomly selected according to the geographical location, 2 from each geographical zone. Seventy-five subjects were selected systematically, every 10th Saudi aged 15 years and above who visited the selected PHCCs during a one-month period [September 1998]. The data was collected via a self administered pilot tested, internally consistent questionnaire which included patients' sociodemographic characteristics and their response to the 21 items rated as highly encouraging, encouraging, has no effect or discouraging utilization of offered health services. More than 60% of the patients were males, aged 15-39 years, 47% finished secondary school, 5.2% were illiterate, 58% of all patients were married, more than 60% were employees and approximately 60% have a monthly income of less than 4500 Saudi Riyals. Manpower factors particularly the physician, Arabic speaking health team and free service were the most encouraging factors, while overcrowding and geographical location of the PHCCs, particularly location near public services, were the least encouraging factors. Patients' gender, education and occupation were the most important and age was the least important patients' characteristics associated with utilization factors. An experienced physician, Moslem physicians and an Arabic speaking health team offering free service in PHCCs located near patients' homes can augment utilization of services