Knowledge about bronchial asthma management in primary health care physicians in Al-Khobar city, Saudi Arabia

The prevalence of bronchial asthma [BA] is increasing in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Primary health care [PHC] centers follow the national protocol, which is based on the severity of the disease for the management of asthma. The Saudi initiative for asthma [SINA] management adopted from the global initiative for asthma guidelines, which was recommended by several recent studies, is based on the control level of asthma. To assess the knowledge of PHC physicians and family medicine [FM] residents in Al-Khobar, about the management of BA. A cross-sectional study was conducted in all PHC centers and the university FM clinic in Al-Khobar. All PHC physicians and 3[rd] and 4[th] year FM residents were included in the study. A self-administered questionnaire developed according to SINA guidelines was used to assess theoretical knowledge of BA, and a predesigned checklist was used to assess the different inhaler techniques. Scoring was established and collected data were analyzed. Only 8% of the sample had good theoretical knowledge of BA; 41% had poor knowledge. The knowledge of the residents was better than that of the PHC physicians. The mean knowledge score was significantly better among those using guidelines compared to the rest. About 23% had good knowledge of inhaler techniques. Knowledge of PHC physicians and FM residents about dry powder inhalers was deficient, and PHC physicians had little knowledge of metered dose inhalers with spacers. The knowledge of physicians about the management of BA was deficient. The national guidelines based on the level of control for asthma management should be updated and physicians given periodic training

intervention program for strengthening tuberculosis control in Alexandria. Part II: raising awareness of secondary school students

Tuberculosis [TB] is making a steady comeback as a global scourge and had been declared a global crisis in 1993. The key for controlling TB is the rapid detection and cure of infectious cases. Thus providing basic information to the public about earliest symptoms of TB as well as reducing levels of prejudice against TB patients can increase diagnostic coverage. The aim of this work was to raise awareness about TB among secondary school students and to evaluate the health education program by measuring the students' knowledge and attitude about TB before and after the health education sessions. The pre-test post-test design was used. Study population was 467 secondary school students selected by stratified random sampling from the six educational districts in Alexandria. A health education program was developed in the form of 12 sessions each one is 90 minute lecture-discussion session followed by 30 minutes questions and answers and aided by slides and posters. A self-administered questionnaire was administered to the students before and after the intervention for evaluation of the program. It consisted of items that cover knowledge, perception on seriousness, and attitude towards TB patients. It revealed poor knowledge about TB before the intervention. Although most students knew that TB is an infectious disease [80.9%], only 44% of the students knew that it was transmitted by droplet infection. 56.5% and 44.1% agreed that HIV/AIDS infection and malnutrition respectively are risk factors for TB. Wasting, night sweating, and productive cough were the known symptoms by 65.9%, 49%, and 54.2%, respectively. Staying in crowded places, smoking specially shisha [hubble-bubble], not covering the mouth during sneezing, and coughing and spitting on the floor were considered bad habits that enhance TB transmission by 76.4%, 67.2%, 57%, and 50.1%, respectively. Knowledge about the modes of transmission, symptoms, risk groups, and bad habits that help transmission of TB improved significantly after the intervention. Students who considered TB to be curable represented 49.7% of the sample before intervention and increased to 93.4% after the intervention. Before the intervention, only 11.6% of the students refused isolation of TB patients, 34.3% agreed that TB patients could be treated at home and 30.2% said that they would accept engagement to a previous TB patient. These figures improved significantly to 38.8%, 63.8%, and 50.5%, respectively after the intervention. Knowledge and attitude of students towards TB are generally poor. TB education program implemented in schools can enhance students' knowledge and change their attitude towards TB patients