Survey on physician attitudes and knowledge toward colorectal cancer screening in primary health care centers, Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Background:Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer incidence worldwide. In Saudi Arabia, it is ranked first most common cancer in males and second most common in females. CRC is an ideal for prevention because of the high incidence rate and the relative slow progression into an adenocarcinoma. Primary health care (PHC) setting is the ideal place where CRC screening should take place. This study was intended to evaluate awareness, knowledge and attitude towards CRC screening.Methods:A survey was performed among PHC physicians in Qassim province, Saudi Arabia. An electronic questionnaire adopted from the national cancer institute was formulated. Demographic data, specialty, qualifications, years of experience, knowledge and attitudes towards CRC screening, and perceived barriers regarding CRC screening were obtained.Results:A total of 94 physicians were recruited. 39.4% from the sample are females, and 60.6% are males. 99% of physicians agree that colorectal cancer screeningis needed when age appropriate. However, 68% were very compliant in CRC screening in clinical practice. Only 52% of physicians were familiar with national CRC cancer screening guidelines. 53% of physicians scored correct on the age appropriate to initiateCRC screening for average risk patients.Conclusions:More efforts should be given to improve knowledge of primary healthcare providers regarding CRC prevention. More funding and planning are needed to provide primary health care providers with the required tools and systems in order to make CRC prevention more efficient.

Adarsh primary health care yojana in Rajasthan

Primary health care (PHC) center is the first point of contact between community and the medical officer at village level. The PHCs have been envisaged to provide an integrated curative and preventive health care to the rural population with emphasis on preventive and promotive aspects of health care. The PHCs are established and maintained by the State Governments under the minimum needs programme or basic minimum services programme. At present, a PHC is manned by a medical officer supported by paramedical and other staff. It acts as a referral unit for 4 to 6 sub centres. It has 6 beds for patients. The activities of PHC involve curative, preventive, promotive and family welfare services. There are 2080 PHCs functioning as on March, 2018 in the Rajasthan.

Assessing Physician Knowledge and Attitude on Food Borne Illnesses in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Background: Foodborne diseases are considered to be one of the emerging public health issues in the entire world. Poor standard of living is one of the main risk factors for the foodborne illness. The cases of foodborne diseases increase as a result of new emerging pathogens. It is evident that good knowledge of physicians helps in good diagnosis and treatment. Therefore, the objective of the current study is to evaluate the knowledge and attitude of public and private primary health care physicians and its association. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted in the selected public and private primary health care centers in the city of Abha located in the southwestern region of Asir in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from October 2017 to March 2018. A total of 84 public and private healthcare centers were included in the study. A structured questionnaire was developed by using the existing literature. Results: Total of 125 physicians from both public and private primary health care centers participated in this study. No significant difference was found between the physicians operating in private and public primary health care centers in terms of knowledge and attitude. Results indicate that knowledge varies according to age, gender and years of experience. Conclusion: The knowledge and attitude of both public and private primary health care physicians are adequate but still there is a necessity to conduct training programs in a regular interval for enhancing the knowledge about the foodborne illness among physicians.

Control levels among asthmatic patients attending asthma clinic at Eskan PHC center and general clinic at Kakiah PHC center, Makkah Al - Mukarramah, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Bronchial asthma is one of the most common chronic diseases in Saudi Arabia, affecting more than 2 million Saudis. Poor knowledge, fear of use of new drugs, and lack of awareness of the importance of control of the disease are common among primary care physicians caring for asthma patients in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Aims & Objective: To estimate the difference in control levels (controlled, partially controlled, and uncontrolled) among asthmatic patients in Eskan and Kakiah PHC centers, in Makkah Al-Mukarramah, October, 2011. As well as to determine pertinent factors associated with control of bronchial asthma. Material and Methods: A Cross-sectional analytic study included all asthmatic patients attended asthma clinic at Eskan PHC center, and equal number of asthmatic patients attended general clinics at Kakiah PHC center, Makkah Al-Mukarramah during the study period (October, 2011). Both groups were asked to fill in a self-administered questionnaire to assess their symptoms and asthma attacks by using the Asthma Control Test (ACT). Data were collected by questionnaire consists of three parts: Demographic data (six items), associated factors (six items) and Asthma Control Test (valid in Arabic version); Adult ACT (five items) and Child ACT (seven items). Results: The study included 100 asthmatic patients (50 were recruited from Kakiah PHCC and 50 were recruited from Eskan PHCC). Slightly more than half of them were over 12 years old, 28 (56%), and 22 (44%) were 12 years old or less. More than half, 27 (54%), of the asthmatic patients recruited from Eskan PHCC compared to 17 (34%) of those recruited from Kakiah PHCC, were controlled. This difference was statistically significant (P=0.035). The difference between bronchial asthma control between Eskan and Kakiah PHCC was statistically significant among adults, while it was not statistically significant among children. Females were found to have significantly better control compared to males. Conclusion: Level of control of bronchial asthma was significantly better among patients attended asthma clinic than those attended general clinic, and females were found to have significantly better control compared to males.