Satisfaction, self-use and perception of medical students in Majmaah University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, towards complementary and alternative medicine

Complementary and Alternative Medicine [CAM] is a growing industry in the health care system, and the use of CAM is rapidly evolving. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [KSA], little research has addressed the satisfaction, use and perception of medical students towards CAM. The objectives of the current study were to assess the level of medical students' satisfaction and perception towards studying CAM and to determine their self-use of different modalities of CAM. This descriptive study was conducted by administering a questionnaire to the first and second batches of the medical students studying the CAM module at the College of Medicine, Majmaah University KSA. The instrument used in this study was a validated self-administered questionnaire, and the retrieved data were analysed using SPSS

Knowledge and attitudes of population towards HIV/Aids in four states, Sudan

HIV/AIDS is a public health problem in the Sudan. The country is the most severely affected in North Africa and the Middle East with an estimated 500,000 people living with HIV/AIDS. The objectives of the study were to determine knowledge and attitude of the local population in selected states about HIV/ AIDS and to determine the relation between knowledge and attitude towards HIV/AIDS and associated social factors. Design was descriptive, cross-sectional, community- based study conducted in Gezira, Sinnar, River Nile and Northen states. The population was those found in their settings during the visits in April 2009. Both sexes were enrolled and children below the age of 15 years of questionnaire and were analyzed by the computer using SPSS, version 13, soft ware. Knowledge of the population in the selected four states about HIV/AIDS was favorable [73%]. Tolerant attitude towards HIV-infected people was low [40%]. Results showed that males acquired better knowledge than females [76.2% versus 71.8%] but females were more tolerant towards HIV/AIDS than males [42% versus 37.4%]. Results showed that HIV/AIDS Knowledge graduates [92.6%] followed by basic and secondary [76.7%]. Illiterates acquired the least level of knowledge [42.4%]. The study showed that tolerance of population towards PLWHA increased according to the level of education. The university graduated was more tolerant [55.1%] than the basic/secondary [40.5%] and illiterates [21.9%]. It was shown that the single population was more tolerant towards PLWAH, followed by the married, the divorced and the widowed constituting 41.6%, 40.4%, 31.4% and 25% respectively. The study concluded that, level of knowledge was HIV/AIDS of the population in the selected states was good. Level of knowledge among males, the working force and the single population was higher than the females, those without jobs and the married. Level of HIV/AIDS knowledge increased according to the level of education, was higher among university graduates followed by basic / secondary and Illiterates. Attitude of the population in the selected states towards people living with HIV/AIDS "PLWHA" was low, only 40% had more tolerant attitude. Females, the highly educated and the working population were more tolerant towards HIV/AIDS than males, the less educated, and the nonworking population

Sudden natural death in Khartoum Mortuary

The sudden natural death is defined as: Death occurs within 24 hours from the onset of symptoms. The disclosing of the causes of sudden natural death is important for prevention and improving outcome. The objectives of this study were to determine the causes of sudden natural death in Khartoum Mortuary Descriptive, cross- sectional study of natural sudden death in Khartoum Mortuary, which was located in Khartoum Teaching Hospital and offers services to the state. The autopsy records of 2007, which were 150, were considered. Data were collected by a structured check list, and analysis was done by the SPSS soft ware. The most important systems involved in sudden natural deaths were respiratory [49.3%], cardiovascular [24%], gastro intestinal [15.3%] and cerebral [4%], while the leading causes of sudden natural death were pneumonia [20%], myocardial infarction [17.3%] and tuberculosis [14%]. Sudden natural death occurred in slightly higher ratio in the age group 40 years and below [50.1%], males were dominating [83%]. The commonest causes of sudden natural death, which were pneumonia, myocardial infarction and tuberculosis, were different from the literature in which the commonest causes were myocardial infarction followed by pulmonary embolism. The study highlighted the importance of respiratory diseases besides myocardial infarction as leading causes of sudden natural death, and the need for further researches in this issue