Burnout, Stress, and Stimulant Abuse among Medical and Dental Students in the Western Region of Saudi Arabia: An Analytical Study.

Background: High levels of burnout, stress, and stimulant abuse have been reported among medical and dental students worldwide, with country-specific factors being contributors. The association, risk factors, and predictors of these three variables have not sufficiently been reported from Saudi Arabia, especially from the Western region. Objective: To determine the prevalence, association, and predictors of burnout, stress, and stimulant abuse among medical and dental students in the Western region of Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional study included all second to sixth year medical and dental students enrolled at Taibah University, Madinah, Saudi Arabia, during the 2019-2020 academic year. A self-administered, closed online questionnaire was administered. Data regarding stress were elicited using Cohen's 10-item Self-Perceived Stress Scale and regarding burnout using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory Student Version questionnaire. Multiple logistic regression model to identify the risk of burnout was conducted, and univariate and multiple linear regression models were carried out to identify the predictors of stress. Results: Of 1016 eligible students, 732 responded (medical: 511; dental: 221). About half of the students experienced burnout (51.5%), with both high disengagement (49%) and exhaustion (45%). Most participants (90.3%) experienced moderate levels of stress. Eight (1.1%) respondents had experienced stimulant abuse; there was a no significant association between stimulant abuse and burnout in the multivariate analysis. Stress, age, gender, body mass index, GPA, study field, smoking, family income, and birth order were significant predictors of burnout, while burnout, age, gender, GPA, and physical exercise were significant predictors of stress. Conclusion: The findings in this study highlight the need for policymakers to devise strategies that target early identification as well as reduction of the high levels of burnout and stress.

Prevalence and risk factors of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in a Saudi Arabian population.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder worldwide; however, epidemiological studies on its prevalence lack in Saudi Arabia. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and risk factors of OSA in Saudi Arabia. METHODS: The study was performed from 2013 to 2015 in two stages. The screening stage was first; a random sample of Saudi employees (n = 2682) 30-60 years of age completed a survey that included the Wisconsin questionnaire. According to these data, the subjects were categorized as habitual, moderate, or nonsnorers (NSs). The confirmatory second stage was a case-control study conducted on 346 individuals selected from each group using polysomnography (PSG). RESULTS: In the first stage, the prevalence of habitual snoring was 23.5%, moderate snoring was16.6%, while 59.9% of the sample was NSs. Among the 346 individuals who underwent PSG, a total of 235 (67.9%) subjects had OSA with an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of ≥5; 76 (22.0%) had OSA syndrome (OSAS), defined by an AHI of ≥5 plus daytime sleepiness; and 227 (65.6%) had clinically diagnosed OSA syndrome (COSAS), as defined by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. A conservative estimate of at least 8.8% (12.8% in men and 5.1% in women) was calculated for the overall prevalence of OSA. Similarly, the overall estimated prevalence of OSAS and COSAS was 2.8% (4.0% in men and 1.8% in women) and 8.5% (12.4% in men and 4.8% in women), respectively. A multivariate analysis revealed age, gender, obesity, and hypertension as independent risk factors of OSA. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that the rate and risk factors of OSA in the Saudi population are similar to those observed in Western studies.

Maternal factors associated with the duration of breast feeding in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Recently, there has been increasing concern about the decline in breast-feeding pattern in developing countries. The objectives of this study were to document the recent breast-feeding trends in Jeddah during the first year of an infant's life and identify the probable maternal risk factors implicated in breast-feeding cessation. Data were collected from six randomly selected primary health care centres in Jeddah City. All married women with an infant

Validity of self-reported weight and height among Saudi school children and adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between self-reported weight and height to actual weight and height in a cross-sectional representative sample of school students in Jeddah City, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its relation to selected socio-economic and socio-demographic factors. Also to evaluate the validity of self-reported weight and height measurements. METHODS: Data was collected from a sample of Saudi school students in Jeddah City, KSA from 42 boys' schools and 42 girls' schools during the month of April 2000. Data collection was carried out by an in-person interview to collect sociodemographic and self-reported weight and height, as well as, actual measurement of weight and height. Body mass index was classified according to age and genders into underweight (<15th percentile), normal weight (>=15th percentile to <85th percentile), overweight (>=85th percentile to <95th percentile) and obesity (>=95th percentile). Validity of self-reported obesity, as compared to measured body mass index, was assessed. RESULTS: A total of 2,860 Saudi school students were enrolled in the study with an age range from 9 to 21 years (mean=13.9, standard deviation=2.8). Overweight was reported in 13.4% and obesity in 13.5% of school students. Overweight and obesity were more marked among those of at least 13 years of age, male of high social class and students with highly educated mothers. Slightly above half of the school children were unaware of their weight and height giving an unknown body mass index in approximately 60% of cases. Among the remaining 40% who reported their weight and height, underestimation of weight was around 2.7 kg and was mainly among girls, in 16-21 year old group, high socio-economic class and born from educated mothers. Overestimation of height by 4 cm was reported mainly among the overweight, obese, girls, those with at least 16 years of age. Sensitivity of determining obesity by reported weight and height was low especially among girls and those of at least 16-years of age while specificity was more among boys than girls and improved by increase in age. CONCLUSION: Our results display the inaccuracy of self-reported weight and height in tracking obesity in our youth population. These results also emphasize the need for community and school based programs for preventing and reducing obesity in school age through improving the nutritional status awareness, diet habits and life style in order to ensure health and longevity.

An epidemiological study of childhood disability in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Childhood disability is a major health problem that is pronounced in developing countries. The objectives of this study were to identify the maternal risk factors present in our society and their impact on acquiring a disabled child. Data were collected from the six governmental rehabilitation institutes and a sample of normal non-disabled school children in Jeddah City. Information on sociodemographic factors and maternal risk factors was collected by in-person interview and copied from the children's institute records. Logistic regression models were fitted to calculate the adjusted odds ratios in order to demonstrate the impact for the various maternal risk factors on having a disabled child. Our results have shown that certain modifiable maternal risk factors affecting child health still exist in our community, such as early and late-age marriage and childbearing, as well as low education, unemployment, multiparity and consanguineous marriages. All these risks were shown to put the mother at higher risk of having an auditory disabled child. Also, older-age childbearing (> or = 30 years), low education level and multiparity were the maternal risk factors identified that influenced the risk of visual disability in children. Similar maternal risk factors, in addition to unemployment, were more observed among mothers of mentally disabled children. A huge effort is required to discourage the potential risk factors in our community that influence child health.

Comparison between body mass index, triceps skin fold thickness and mid-arm muscle circumference in Saudi adolescents.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescence is an important period in an individualâs life. Overweight and obesity are fraught with several health problems even later in life. The objective of this study was to estimate the overweight, obesity, body fat and muscle content of Saudi adolescents as compared to a recognized reference population. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data were collected from a sample of Saudi adolescents in Jeddah from 42 boys' and 42 girls' schools during the month of April 2000. Data collection was done by personal interviews to collect sociodemographic factors and by direct measurement of weight, height, triceps skin fold thickness (TSF) and mid-arm circumference (MAC). The 50th, 85th, and 95th percentiles (P50, P85 and P95) for body mass index (BMI) and triceps skin fold thickness (TSF) were taken, then the 50th, 90th, and 95th percentiles (P50, P90 and P95) for the mid-arm muscle circumference (MAMC) were calculated. These measurements were compared with corresponding values of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey I (NHANES I). RESULTS: The P85 and P95 for BMI and TSF were higher for Saudi adolescents than the NHANES I and the difference was wider for P95. Conversely, there was a lower MAMC at P90 and P95 than the NHANES I reference population curves. The lower MAMC curves were less marked in girls than in boys. On the other hand, Saudi boys and girls showed on average similar body mass index indicated by BMI at P50, which was misleading, since those adolescents showing similar body mass index had more fatness than the average reference population indicated by TSF at P50, and less muscularity on average than reference population indicated by MAMC at P50. CONCLUSION: Overweight and obesity with increased body fat content and decreased body muscle content appear to be widespread among Saudi adolescents even among those adolescents showing average body mass index. Public health interventions are required to improve quality of food, encourage physical activity and exercise, as well as correct the perception of appropriate body stature.

Prevalence of daily breakfast intake, iron deficiency anaemia and awareness of being anaemic among Saudi school students.

Iron deficiency anaemia is one of most prevalent nutritional disorders worldwide. It is known to affect the health and cognitive ability of children and adolescents. Studies in Saudi Arabia concentrate only on the population of young children and pregnant females or girls. Studies on the whole school student population is lacking. The objectives of this study were to identify the nutritional habits and the prevalence of anaemia among school students in Jeddah, as well as to recognize the students' awareness of their anaemic nutritional status. Data were collected from a sample of Saudi school children in Jeddah City from 42 boys' and 42 girls' schools during the month of April 2000. Data collection was done by an in-person interview to collect socio-demographic factors, nutritional habits, weight and height. Haemoglobin was measured in a sample of 800 students selected at random from both genders and different age groups. Anaemia was defined according to the new WHO cut-off levels for haemoglobin as: blood haemoglobin <11.5 g/dl for the 5-11 years boys and girls; <12.0 g/dl for 12-14 years boys and girls; <12.0 g/dl for 15+ girls and <13.0 g/dl for 15+ years boys. Proportion and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated and significance was considered when the 95% CI did not overlap. Anaemia was reported among 20.5% of school students. Anaemia was more prevalent among students of at least 12 years as compared to the younger age group. Also, anaemia was more marked among governmental school attendees and those born to low-educated mothers. Menstruating girls were at around double the risk of being anaemic than non-menstruating girls. Anaemia was associated with negative impact on school performance and was more marked among those who failed their exams as compared to students with excellent results. Skipping breakfast was reported by 14.9% of students and this habit did not differ by age, sex, body mass index or social class. Skipping breakfast was more marked among students with poor school performance as compared to those with very good or excellent results. Only 34.1% of anaemic school students were aware of being anaemic. Awareness was nearly equal in all age groups and social classes but girls were more aware of their anaemic status than boys. Iron deficiency anaemia appears to be prevalent among school students. At age 12 years and over, low social class and menstruating girls constitute the high-risk groups. Screening is recommended for high-risk groups and school health programs are crucial to improve students' nutritional habits, knowledge and awareness.

Hypercholesterolemia and susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases among white and blue collars in Jeddah.

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Low back pain among Saudi school workers in Jeddah.

Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version.