Knowledge, attitude, and perception of robotic-assisted surgery among the general population in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study.

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has revolutionized surgical practices, with robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) significantly advancing. However, the understanding and acceptance of RAS vary, impacting its widespread adoption. This study aims to assess Saudi Arabians' attitudes and comprehension of RAS, which is crucial for promoting its integration into surgical procedures. A cross-sectional study was conducted in various Saudi Arabian cities. A total of 1449 participants were included, while participants with cognitive issues were excluded. Demographic information, knowledge, technology experience, attitudes, and perceptions about RAS were collected using an online self-administered questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Of the participants, 51.1% demonstrated awareness of RAS, mainly through social media (36.9%). Factors influencing awareness included gender, education, income, occupation, computer literacy, and technology comfort. Gender disparities were evident in attitudes and perceptions toward RAS. Concerns about RAS included robot malfunction (62.0%), surgical errors (45.4%), and surgeon competency (44.7%). 36.4% of the participants believe RAS is faster, 29.9% believe RAS is less painful, and 25.3% believe RAS has fewer complications. Positive perceptions encompassed the belief that robot-using surgeons are more skilled (44.5%) and hospitals offering RAS are better (54.3%). Notably, 47.7% expressed willingness to consider RAS as a treatment option. The study underscores the significance of promoting awareness and informed decisions to ensure the successful integration of RAS in surgical practices. Addressing concerns and misconceptions and enhancing public comprehension are pivotal for facilitating informed decision-making and fostering RAS acceptance within Saudi Arabia's surgical landscape.

Utilisation of the health belief model to study the behavioural intentions relating to obesity management among university students: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Overweight and obesity are excessive fat accumulations linked with many health problems, including heart diseases, type 2 diabetes and cancer. Multiple studies have demonstrated that beliefs about overweight, obesity and self-efficacy play essential roles in the success of interventions for obesity management. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify the perceptions of university students of overweight and obesity using the health belief model (HBM) and to analyse their association with the body mass index (BMI) categories of the students. DESIGN: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study and a multistage sampling technique were used to ensure the recruitment of students from selected colleges of Jazan University-Saudi Arabia. SETTING: Six colleges of Jazan University were randomly selected to ensure equal representation of health sciences, sciences and humanities colleges. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 579 students completed an online survey between January and April 2023. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measures were demographic characteristics and HBM constructs. Secondary outcome measures were behavioural intentions relating to obesity management. RESULTS: This study demonstrated that gender and self-reported family history of obesity were significantly correlated with the BMI categories of the students (p <0.001). Students in the underweight category showed the highest mean score for perceived severity (3.62 ±0.08). Perceived self-efficacy in exercise and diet was significantly associated with BMI categories, with adjusted ORs of 2.82 (2.10 to 3.79) and 1.51 (1.09 to 2.09), respectively. Perceived barriers to healthy eating and regular physical activity were significantly related to the behavioural intentions of obesity management. Multivariate logistic regression showed that perceived severity, perceived cues to action, perceived barriers and self-efficacy in dieting and exercise were significant predictors of behavioural intentions for the management of obesity. CONCLUSION: This study underscores the need for tailored health promotion strategies that consider the perceptions and beliefs of people about the management of obesity.

Impact of COVID-19 on Saudi Children: Special Focus on Behavioral, Social, and Emotional Aspects, 2020-2021.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has negatively affected many aspects of daily life. In Saudi Arabia, many studies, using a range of assessment approaches, have examined how the pandemic has affected the mental health of both the general public and healthcare workers. However, to develop effective public-health initiatives for such crisis events, it would also be relevant to determine the pandemic's impact on the behavioral, emotional, and social lives of Saudi children. Objective To assess, among Saudi children aged 3-15 years, the behavioral, emotional, and social changes that have occurred in their daily lives due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and methods This study featured a cross-sectional design. Potential participants were approached through the most popular social media in Saudi Arabia, and the final sample size was 651 parents. As, at the time of data collection, the members of the Saudi public were requested to avoid face-to-face meetings where possible, a well-designed electronic questionnaire featuring closed-ended questions was used. Results Descriptive statistics showed that the mean age of the parents was 29±7 years (range: 20-60 years); over half (58%) were female. During the COVID-19 outbreak, one-third of children had asked to sleep in their parents' beds. Furthermore, approximately 30% of children demonstrated increased irritability and mood swings when compared with the period before the pandemic. Concerning adaptive social behaviors, during the pandemic, 22% of children appeared calmer and 14% of children seemed more thoughtful. Our study reports more screen time, less physical activity, and reduced sleep time among children compared with the pre-pandemic period. Conclusion The COVID-19 pandemic has psychologically affected children. The present results highlight the need to reduce this psychological burden by enhancing children's emotional resilience and involving parents in health-promotion programs aimed at mitigating the negative impacts of such public-health crises.