ABSTRACT
Introduction Functional constipation in children is described as irregular or difficult bowel motions without underlying systemic or anatomical causes. Although constipation can have a serious negative impact on a child's health and the lives of their parents. This study aimed to assess the knowledge of parents about childhood constipation, intending to reduce morbidity and mortality through increased public health education in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. Methods The current study was a web-based, descriptive cross-sectional study. The data were obtained from May 2023 to November 2023 through an online questionnaire directed to parents in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, and analyzed using SPSS version 27.0.1 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.). Results A total of 796 participants were included in the present study, of which 205 (25.8%) were males and 591 (74.2%) were females. The knowledge levels among them varied, with 11.1% correctly defining constipation and 63.6% recognizing it as a symptom. Common causes like organic and functional constipation were acknowledged by 88.4% and 81.3% of participants, respectively. Regarding practices, 27.9% recommended high-fiber foods for initial home treatment, and 42.8% acknowledged that an enema is effective for fecal impaction. In the dietary recommendations, 71.7% suggested fruits and 68.8% mentioned vegetables. Concerning attitudes, 65.1% expressed fear of childhood constipation continuing into adulthood, while 30.9% feared severe medical conditions. The internet (25.5%) and friends/relatives (23.6%) were the primary sources of information. Knowledge was significantly higher among females and those with postgraduate education. Conclusion This study highlights the variability in knowledge levels among parents, with an overall moderate understanding of childhood constipation. It emphasizes a moderate level of adherence to recommended practices related to childhood constipation, with some room for improvement in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
ABSTRACT
Background and objective Aesthetic procedures are one of the most commonly performed medical procedures. Surgical and non-surgical cosmetic treatments that are routinely performed include breast augmentations, rhinoplasty, botulinum toxin, and fillers. Several factors contribute to the increase in the popularity of these procedures, including body image dissatisfaction, the opinion of peers, and surgeon-related factors such as the surgeon's reputation, board certification, or years of experience. In addition, recent evidence suggests that active and passive usage of highly visual social media that focus on appearance-centric content have been positively associated with the acceptance of, and desire for, cosmetic procedures. In this study, we aimed to investigate the influence of social media on individuals' decision-making in terms of cosmetic procedures. Method The setting for this population-based cross-sectional study was public places in Makkah City, Saudi Arabia, and it was conducted from September to November 2021. Our study included adults above the age of 18 years. The exclusion criteria were as follows: non-Arabic speakers and individuals with congenital anomalies or dysmorphic dermatological diseases. The final sample consisted of 364 participants. All analyses were carried out using IBM SPSS Statistics version 28 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY). Continuous and categorical variables were compared using ANOVA and Pearson's Chi-squared test. Result A total of 364 participants were included in the study, and 80% of them used their phones on a daily basis for >4 hours per week. The mean age of the participants was 27.4 ± 8.3 years, and they had a mean BMI of 25.0 ± 6.4 kg/m2; 60% of the participants were female. Participants with a history of cosmetic procedures or a desire to undergo cosmetic procedures reported a similar pattern of daily phone use. There was no significant association between the reported history of cosmetic procedures and the daily duration of selected social media platform use. Conclusion We found no significant correlation between the hours spent on social media and the participants' history or desire for cosmetic procedures. Only 54 subjects compared themselves to social media celebrities. These findings could be attributed to the fact that the Makkah population is conservative in their religious attitudes and traditions, which makes them less susceptible to social media influences.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a mental health condition where a person spends much time worrying about flaws in their appearance. The international prevalence of BDD had been reported, and it was about 1.9-2.2%. OBJECTIVES: The current study aims to explore the prevalence of BDD among the general population in Makkah, Saudi Arabia. METHODS: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study that used an electronic questionnaire. It was distributed to the general population using the convenience sample technique between September 2021 to November 2021. BDD was assessed among the participants using an Arabic-validated tool. The sample size was calculated to be 385 participants. RESULTS: The study included a total of 392 participants. Most of them were female (59.7%), 18-27 years old (62.8%), and had bachelor or post-graduate degrees (67.6%). Among all the included participants, only 28 met the criteria of BDD (7.1%). The BDD population had an equal gender ratio, and most included respondents between 18 and 27 years old (78.6%), college students (60.7%), those with the lowest income level (< 5,000 SR) (78.6%), and who had a normal body mass index (46.4%). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of BDD in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, was 7.1%. No significant differences were noticed between BDD and non-BDD groups in age, obesity, and gender.
