ABSTRACT
Background The skin is the largest organ of the body. Burns are important health issues that significantly affect a variety of population groups. Skin grafting is still regarded as the gold standard in surgical burn treatment. The availability of skin for grafting is one of the main challenges in burn surgical therapies. Thus, this study aimed to assess the public perception and attitude regarding skin donation in Saudi Arabia. Method The study was a cross-sectional study that included the general population in Saudi Arabia (≥ 18 years old). A self-administered survey was distributed online. Statistical analysis was carried out using RStudio (R version 4.1.1). Categorical data were presented as frequencies and percentages, while continuous data were expressed as the median and interquartile range (IQR). Results A total of 8515 were included in the study. Most participants (71.5%) were females. Among the respondents, 64.9% were between the ages of 18 and 30. Females had a higher knowledge level of skin graft donation compared to males. Participants aged >30 years had lower knowledge levels compared to younger participants. Lower knowledge scores were also observed among married, widows, as well as uneducated participants. Five thousand two hundred and seven (61.1%) participants support skin donation. The most reported barrier to skin donation was religious reasons (52.4%), while the main motives for supporting skin donation were humane-related factors (73.2%). The influence of close relatives on participants' decisions to donate was evident in 52.6% of the instances. Conclusion It was found that most participants support skin donation in Saudi Arabia. Religious reasons were the most common hindering factors against skin donation. Females and young-aged groups were found to have a higher knowledge level. Further studies are recommended to shed light on this subject allowing for appropriate solutions implantation.
ABSTRACT
Background Eczema is a common inflammatory skin disorder in the pediatric population. Although eczema is a significant public health issue with negative impacts on quality of life, studies looking at the prevalence and risk factors among preschool-aged children in Saudi Arabia are limited. Methods A descriptive, cross-sectional, online-based study was conducted among parents of preschool children in Hail City, Saudi Arabia, between July 2022 and September 2022. The self-administered, pre-tested questionnaire was distributed on social media networks for data gathering, which was subsequently analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS, IBM Corp., Armonk, NY) software. Results Among 964 preschool children, 54.5% of the children have been diagnosed with eczema. A total of 152 (60.1%) male children had eczema compared to 231 (59.8%) female children, while 142 (43.7%) parents had children of both genders diagnosed with eczema (P = 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression showed that male gender (odds ratio [OR] = 1.41, 95% confidence interval = 1.16-1.71), smoking in the house (OR = 1.85, 95%CI = 1.37-2.50), presence of mold or dampness in the house while the mother was pregnant (OR = 1.95, 95%CI = 1.17-3.24), house renovation during the mother's pregnancy (OR = 1.54, 95%CI = 1.01-2.34), use of an air conditioner (OR = 1.57, 95%CI = 1.07-2.30), and dry skin (OR = 5.83, 95%CI = 4.27-7.96) were significant predictors for the development of eczema. Conclusion The high prevalence of eczema among preschool-aged children in Hail indicates the need for parents to take action at the household level and beyond to successfully lower the risk of eczema development in the region.
ABSTRACT
Acne vulgaris is the commonest dermatological problem internationally and nationally. Its incidence is increasing every year in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Though it is not a major health issue but it significantly affects the patient cosmetically, psychologically and socially. Previous studies have shown its association with lifestyle (age, diet, stress, sleep, smoking, exercise, obesity, etc.) and family history. By simple cost-effective lifestyle modification, its occurrence and late consequences could be minimized. Few hospital-based studies are done on this issue in Hail City, KSA. Hence present cross-sectional study was designed where data was collected by Google-Form from 484 residents of Hail City. Results have revealed that 65% of our respondents were suffering from mild to moderate Acne. Thirty percent of the respondents had BMI equal to more than 30. Majority of respondents (81%) had acne on whole face. Similarly, dairy products were also consumed by more than 50%. Majority of respondents (more than 50%) took chocolates, fast foods, oily foods and sea-foods. Nuts were taken quite often by 37% of respondents. Age between 21-25 years and oily skin have a highly significant association (p = 0.000) with development of acne. Other variables that show significant association with acne were being obese, stressful, irregular menstrual cycles and excessive intake of nuts. Hence there is a need to address this issue in order to design recommendations for the general public to minimize the incidence and consequences of acne vulgaris by simple lifestyle modifications.
