ABSTRACT
Background: gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD] ranks as one of the most common gastrointestinal disorders. Up to this date, no studies examined the level of health knowledge of Saudi population about GERD
Aim of the study: this study aimed to assess knowledge about GERD signs, symptoms and risk factors in Saudi residents of Altaif City
Methods: this minimal knowledge questionnaire that was distributed among the general public in Altaif City, Saudi Arabia. The questionnaire consisted of two sections: section 1 included personal data and section 2 explored the awareness and knowledge about the most common symptoms and risk factors of GERD. Only questionnaires without missing data were subjected to statistical analysis
Results: respondents who answered all the questions correctly represented 7.4%, while those who answered all wrongly were 1.5%. The mean proportion of minimal medical knowledge [MMK] score was 64.66%. Respondents with higher education [p < 0.001], medical background [p = 0.004] and health knowledge derived from books [p = 0.001] achieved the highest total scores. Sex, residence, marital status, and past/family history of GERD seemed not to affect the mean MMK scores [p = 0.277, 0.234, 0.970, 0.873 and 0.085 respectively]
Conclusion: some symptoms [Globus sensation, dysphagia and odynophagia] and risk factors [Scleroderma and asthma] for GERD remained unknown to nearly half the participants. We recommend providing health information concerning GERD on the Internet or to prepare booklets to be distributed through the health care facilities
ABSTRACT
This review includes the main pediatric studies published from April 2011 to march 2016. The important studies involving H. pylori genomes, especially those pertaining to genomic diversity, disease outcome, H. pylori population structure and evolution are reviewed. Genotypic variability in H. pylori strains influences the clinical manifestation of the infection. The antigen stool test is becoming the "gold standard" in prevalence studies, and according to the epidemiologic studies, the prevalence of H. pylori in childhood is not decreasing any more in the developed world. Studies showed conflicting results regarding the association between H. pylori infection and iron deficiency anemia. One study suggests that H. pylori eradication plays a role in the management of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura. The prevalence of H. pylori was higher in chronic urticaria patients and following H. pylori eradication, urticarial symptoms disappeared. An inverse relationship between H. pylori infection and allergic disease was reported. The resistance rate of H. pylori strains is high in children. Therefore, among other important issues concerning H. pylori in pediatrics, guidelines published by ESPGHAN and NASPGHAN last year also recommended culture and susceptibility testing before first-line treatment in areas with high or unknown antibiotic resistance rates