ABSTRACT
Background Vaping has become widely used by teenagers due to its accessibility, variety of flavors, peer influence, and the thought that it is a less harmful alternative to tobacco smoking. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of vaping among health sciences students compared to other college students in Riyadh and identify reasons for its usage. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted in three major universities of Riyadh: King Saud bin Abdulaziz University, King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, and Al-Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University. A self-administered online questionnaire related to the use of e-cigarettes and conventional cigarettes was utilized. It included questions about the use of conventional cigarettes and e-cigarettes and the reasons for using them. Responses were compared between health sciences and non-health sciences students in Riyadh. Results An electronic survey was distributed online, and 442 students responded, but two of them did not agree to participate, so they were removed from the sample. Out of 440 students, 312 (71%) were health sciences students, and 128 (29%) were non-health sciences students. Smoking conventional cigarettes was found among 38 (12%) health sciences students, and 22 (17%) non-health college students smoked conventional cigarettes (p=0.16). Regarding vaping, 117 (38%) health sciences students smoked e-cigarettes. On the other hand, 47 (39%) non-health college students smoked e-cigarettes (p=0.99). Anxiety/stress relief (54%) and peer influence (46%) were the most common reasons for those who smoked conventional cigarettes. Regarding the most common reasons behind using e-cigarettes, the majority (55%) considered e-cigarettes less harmful than conventional cigarettes. The second most common reason was having no distinctive odor (36%). Conclusion The study found that there was a high prevalence of the self-reported use of e-cigarettes. It appears that the use of conventional cigarette smoking is not as common as e-cigarettes among university students. This study found that university students tend to use e-cigarettes more than conventional cigarettes due to the belief that e-cigarettes are less harmful than conventional cigarettes.
ABSTRACT
Objectives The present study aimed to evaluate the awareness and measures taken to prevent infections of blood-borne pathogens (BBPs) among emergency department (ED) staff at King Abdulaziz Medical City in Riyadh. Method A cross-sectional research approach was adopted. The study recruited a sample of 200 ED medical staff from King Abdul Aziz Medical City in Riyadh city. A self-filled questionnaire was used to elicit data related to awareness and concerns, in addition to the protection strategies adopted by the ED medical staff. The gathered data was analyzed using the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS, v. 26). Results The study found that 42.5% (n=85) of the emergency room (ER) staff did not use regular eyewear at all, 30% (n=60) did not use face shields at all, and about 75.5% of the enrolled ED staff successfully converted to double-gloving. In addition, it was found that patients with active AIDS (64%), patients with active hepatitis (60.5%), and patients with known HIV infection (60%) were the most reported factors influencing the decision to use double-gloving. Moreover, it was found that the highest reported reasons for not double-gloving were that double-gloving is not necessary (56%, n=112) and double-gloving decreases hand sensation (31%, n=62).Finally, the study found that the most reported reasons for not using barriers other than gloves precautions were non-necessity of barriers other than gloves (31% (n=62) and non-availability (26.5%, n=53). Conclusion The study concluded that ER medical staff in King Abdul-Aziz Medical City in Riyadh perceived a high level of lifetime risk of infection when performing procedures and that there is a lack of education and awareness of ER staff related to using personal protective equipment (PPE) and double-gloving when performing procedures in the ER.
