Palliative Care: Knowledge and Attitude among Saudi Residents, 2016.

Introduction: Palliative care is a medical specialty, which focuses on relieving the suffering and improving the quality of life for patients who are facing life-threatening illnesses and their families. Looking after dying patients is inseparable from our responsibility as physicians. However, dealing with the dying patients is challenging for the majority of physicians. Aim: To document the knowledge and attitudes of palliative care among residents from major specialties, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was carried out using a self-administered questionnaire to a convenient sample of residents from major specialties from various training centers in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, during 2015-2016. A total of 433 residents have been participated in the study. Results: About 46% of the residents showed lack of overall palliative care knowledge, and almost half of them had negative views toward palliative care. Almost 60% of them achieved good score in pain management. The majority of respondents had never received training in palliative medicine (91.7%). It was observed that higher training level has a positive effect on the overall knowledge, including basic concept, pain, and psychiatric symptoms' management. Also, previous exposure to patients who would benefit from palliative care has a direct effect on overall knowledge and attitude scores. Conclusion: The results indicate a low level of knowledge and attitude regarding palliative medicine among sampled residents. Also, it highlights the importance of exposing the residents to palliative medicine field to improve their knowledge and attitude.

Factors associated with perceptions of child sexual abuse and lack of parental knowledge: a community-based cross-sectional study from the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND: Child sexual abuse (CSA) has serious consequences that can affect the physical, social and mental health of a child. In the last two decades, concern about CSA has increased around the world including Saudi Arabia. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate factors associated with parental perceptions and knowledge of CSA. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTINGS: Primary health care clinic. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Simple random sampling was used to select participants. The main tool for data collection was a self-administered questionnaire. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Factors associated with knowledge and perceptions of CSA. SAMPLE SIZE: 400. RESULTS: Most respondents (69%) had good knowledge of the signs of sexual abuse in children. For perception scores, statistically significant variables were age (P=.004), educational level (P=.005), income (P less than .001), number of wives (P=.004), number of male children (P=.021), and number of female children (P=.027). For knowledge scores, statistically significant variables were income (P=.008), number of wives (P less than .005), number of male children (P=.003) and number of female chil.dren (P less than .003). Logistic regression showed that the older age group was significantly associated with a good perception score (P less than .046). CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for parental lack of knowledge and poor perception associated with CSA are poverty and low education. Protective factors included the older parent age, size of the family and families with more than one wife. Education should be designed for parents and the community to increase the knowledge and perception of CSA. LIMITATIONS: Single-center study and short study period. CONFLICT OF INTEREST: None.