Prevalence of dental caries and associated factors among primary school children: a population-based cross-sectional study in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND@#Dental caries is a preventable childhood disease, but public health efforts are hampered due to limited information on associated factors in vulnerable populations. Our study was aimed at estimating the prevalence of dental caries and identifying key associated factors in four major risk domains, including socioeconomic factors, child oral health behavior and practices, child feeding practices, and dietary habits among primary school children in Saudi Arabia.@*METHODS@#A cross-sectional study design was used to recruit 578 male Saudi primary school children, aged 6-8 years, from 12 primary schools in five different regions of Riyadh. Children were clinically screened to detect carious lesions in primary teeth according to World Health Organization's criteria. Structured self-administered questionnaire was used to collect information on social and individual factors from the parents. The odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals of associated factors for dental caries were computed using logistic regression models; key factors were identified by systematic selection process that accounted for multicollinearity and bias correction.@*RESULTS@#Dental caries was prevalent among children (83%, 95% confidence interval 79.7-86.0%). Individual factors, including irregular brushing, late adoption of brushing habit, consulting dentist for symptomatic treatment, lack of breast feeding, sleeping with a bottle in mouth, habit of snacking between meals, low consumption of fruits, and frequent consumption of soft drinks and flavored milk, were predominantly associated with dental caries in children, instead of socioeconomic factors (p < 0.05, adjusted R-square 80%).@*CONCLUSION@#Dental caries were prevalent in school children, and individual factors were predominantly associated with the disease.

Health beliefs related to diabetes mellitus prevention among adolescents in Saudi Arabia

The incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM] is growing rapidly in the Saudi population. The purpose of this study was to assess the constructs of the health belief model [HBM] as they relate to T2DM lifestyle and prevention behaviours among adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted between May and October 2013 among 426 non-diabetic secondary school students from randomly selected schools in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. An Arabic version of an adapted English language questionnaire was used to assess knowledge and attitudes related to the severity and prevention of T2DM. A preventative behaviour assessment was also conducted to assess physical activity and dietary habits. The majority of the students [63.4%] had at least one diabetic family member. Obesity was more frequent in males compared to females [P = 0.013]. Awareness about the importance of maintaining a healthy body weight to prevent T2DM was lower in males than females [P = 0.037], although males engaged in routine exercise more often [P = 0.001]. Males were less likely than females to recognise the risks for T2DM, including obesity [P = 0.030], heredity [P = 0.013] and high fat intake [P = 0.001]. An alarmingly high number of Saudi students were unaware of T2DM severity and associated risk factors. Female students were more aware of the benefits of T2DM preventative lifestyle behaviours than males, although males engaged in routine exercise more often. Raising adolescents' awareness about the primary prevention strategies for T2DM should be a public health priority in Saudi Arabia. The HBM could inform further research on diabetes prevention among Saudi adolescents

Lebanese medical students intention to deliver smoking cessation advice

Objectives: Objectives of this study were to examine the constructs of the Theory of Planned Behavior and determine how they predict Lebanese medical students behavioral intention to advise patients to quit smoking. Study design: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among 191 medical students from six medical schools in Lebanon. Methods: The instrument contained scales that measured attitudes toward the behavior, behavioral beliefs, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. Psychometric properties of the scale were examined. Item to total scale score correlations were determined and linear regression was conducted to predict the intention to advise smokers to quit. Results: Respondents had a positive, but not very high, intention to deliver smoking cessation advice. Students reported a positive attitude toward advising patients to quit cigarette smoking and a strong belief in the physicians obligations in smoking cessation advising. The majority reported lack of time to provide smoking cessation advice, insufficient knowledge of pharmacological aids, and the lack of openness of the patient to receive the advice. The attitude scale was the only variable that yielded a significant prediction of the intended behavior. Conclusions: The construct of attitude toward the behavior appeared to be the most predictive of the intention to deliver advice to quit smoking among Lebanese medical students. Focusing training efforts on this construct could improve the rate of delivery of brief cessation counseling

Knowledge about tobacco smoking among medical students in Saudi Arabia: findings from three medical schools

Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of preventable death worldwide. Educating and training medical students about tobacco dependence prevention and treatment will prepare them for the task of helping smokers quit. In Saudi Arabia, little is known about medical students' knowledge on this topic. This study was conducted among 237 medical students [89% response rate] from three medical schools in Saudi Arabia. Students were asked to complete a 55-item questionnaire about the knowledge of smoking epidemiology, smoking cessation practice and benefits, and treatment of tobacco dependence. The majority of the students [91.4%] do not have adequate knowledge about the epidemiology of smoking. Students demonstrated a low knowledge of the health risks associated with tobacco use [average score 53%; SD = 11.6], a fair understanding of the benefits of smoking cessation, and insufficient information about treatment of tobacco dependence. Respondents thought they were adequately prepared to counsel their patients to quit smoking. Medical students in Saudi Arabia are not well informed and trained in tobacco dependence and treatment. It is necessary to address this deficit by prioritizing these topics in medical education curricula

Public health nursing education in Saudi Arabia

Public health nurses are key personnel in promoting and protecting the health of populations using knowledge from the nursing, social, and public health sciences. In Saudi Arabia, the nursing profession requires the integration of public health education and associated competencies in the nursing curriculum. In this paper, we aim to highlight the importance of public health nursing in overcoming the challenges associated with epidemiological transitions and responding to the health needs of rising populations, describe the development of the nursing profession in Saudi Arabia, and recommend public health teaching and training objectives for nursing education. The future Saudi public health nurse should be competent in addressing the determinants of health and illness that are salient to a culturally distinct group. This newly outlined role for public health nurses will maximize the use of the educated Saudi nursing workforce and will fill the gap in population public health needs in an efficient and effective way