ABSTRACT
Purpose: This study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of emergency physicians (EPs) related to psychiatric emergencies (PEs) in Makkah's general hospitals. Sample and Methods: This study was an observational cross-sectional study using an online survey distributed to 138 EPs in the emergency departments (EDs) of six public hospitals in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia, between March 15 and May 1, 2023. A convenience sample was used for data collection. The questionnaire was developed after related surveys in the literature were reviewed. Results: 59.9% of the physicians were aged 20-30 years. Most (68.8%) worked in hospitals that had psychiatric facilities. Regarding knowledge, only 30% of the emergency doctors were considered knowledgeable: the majority could identify PEs (79.7%), perform mental status examinations (71.0%), distinguish physical and mental symptoms (66.7%), and communicate with psychiatric patients (58.0%). However, only 52.9% could initiate management plans by prescribing psychiatric medication to patients. In relation to attitude, most physicians disagreed with the idea that healthcare practitioners do not need to advocate for psychiatric patients (67.4%), but many (62.3%) assumed that they do not have the responsibility to manage psychiatric patients, and they felt that conducting psychiatric evaluations in public hospitals is challenging because of the busy environment there. As regards practice, mentally ill patients (60.9%) were managed or referred by practices, and 56.5% of the EPs advised these patients upon discharge. Conclusion: The study showed that EPs have positive attitudes toward psychiatric patients, but their knowledge varied based on age, occupation levels, and years of experience. There were significant knowledge gaps, particularly regarding effective communication with psychiatric patients. Additionally, many EPs manage psychiatric patients without being aware of the psychiatric resources in their hospital. Improving medical school curricula and postgraduate training can enhance care. However, more research in this field is needed.
ABSTRACT
Introduction Testicular torsion (TT) is the most common urological emergency in children that requires immediate intervention. The prognosis of testicular torsion depends on the patient's time of presentation to the emergency department (ED), as well as on the time at which the diagnosis is established and treatment is initiated. Raising public awareness of testicular torsion, particularly among parents, plays a crucial role in preventing delay in presentation and reducing the frequency of orchiectomy. To this end, the study is designed to assess the level of awareness and knowledge of testicular torsion, as well as the response of parents to the scrotal pain of their children. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among parents in the western region of Saudi Arabia. Data was collected between the 23rd of November and the 22nd of December 2022. A simple random sampling technique was implemented. The data was collected and analyzed using SPSS software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Results A total of 394 parents participated in this study. It showed that 13.5% of parents reported having a child with a previous experience of pain in the scrotum. Of them, only 25.4% previously heard about torsion of the testicles. Only 68.8% and 76.6% correctly reported that if the child complains of pain in the scrotum during working hours or over the weekend, they will drive him to the hospital immediately. Good knowledge about TT was significantly higher among children's fathers compared to mothers (66.7% vs. 33.3%) (p≤0.05). Conclusion Testicular torsion (TT) represents significant morbidity among male patients and early identification is crucial to avoid the need for orchiectomy and all its prominent physical and psychological consequences. To improve children's well-being, we need to raise parents' awareness of TT and the potential future implications of this critical condition as it is not widely known in our community. Further studies evaluating the knowledge regarding testicular torsion among preadolescent and adolescent boys are warranted.
