ABSTRACT
Background: Prediabetes has been considered to be a reversible condition; a modification of lifestyle and other intervention can be successfully applied during the prediabetes period to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes. The purpose of the present study was to assess knowledge of prediabetes and its risk factors for the community in the Al-Ahsa region. Design and method: A cross-sectional community-based study was conducted in the Al-Ahsa region from mid-to-late December 2018. A sample size of 812 was determined using a single-proportion formula. Results: Of the 812 respondents who gave consent to participate in the interview; the male to female ratio was 1.1:1. 13.2% of the respondents reported that they had diabetes. Among the respondents, 87.1% had a high level of knowledge of prediabetes, while 12.9% had low-to-moderate knowledge. 84% of males 40 years of age or older, 88.7% (384) of people with university or higher education, and 95.1% (78) of people who worked as health practitioners had high knowledge of prediabetes. Overall, there was a statistically significant association between age and prediabetes knowledge (χ2 =5.006, p=0.025). Occupation also showed a significant statistical association with prediabetes knowledge (χ2 =9.85, p=0.02). Conclusion: Knowledge is considered an important factor in the prevention of prediabetes and diabetes. People in Al-Ahsa demonstrated a high level of knowledge regarding some risk factors for prediabetes. However, there were a number of deficiencies in the knowledge of prediabetes risk factors and preventive measures as well as in general knowledge of prediabetes, which may lead to a high prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe the maternal practices and awareness of vitamin D supplementation in infants, and factors affecting these practices in Eastern Saudi Arabia. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 606 mothers attending community-based primary health centers in Al-Ahsa, Eastern Saudi Arabia between March and April 2012. A 22-item questionnaire was used to assess the socio-demographic data of both infants and mothers, feeding methods, nursing practices including vitamin D supplementation, and mothers' awareness regarding vitamin D supplementation in infants by face-to-face interview. Chi-squared test was used to assess significant differences among these practices. Significant variables were subjected to multiple logistic regression. A p-value of 0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance. RESULTS: The response was 91%. Forty percent of mothers were not giving their infants vitamin D at the time of contact. More than 40% of the mothers were not aware of, and they were not offered advice on the need to give vitamin D to their infants. Lack of physician advice (odds ratio 42), and poor maternal awareness of the necessity to give vitamin D to their infants (odds ratio - 2.676) are the most significant factors related to the absence of vitamin D supplementation in infants (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D supplementation during the first year of infancy is low. This is most likely due to the lack of maternal awareness and physician neglect in providing advice to mothers regarding vitamin D supplementation in infants.
