Perceived Social Stigma of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Hubuna, Saudi Arabia.

Background: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector-borne skin infection that remains prevalent in regions with poor socioeconomic conditions. Stigmatization occurs when individuals with physical or psychological disorders interact with societal stereotypes. The aim of this study was to explore the perceived social stigma surrounding CL among people residing in Hubuna, Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional community-based survey recruited 618 individuals aged 18 years and above using the snowball sampling technique to reach hidden cases within the target population. Data was collected using a self-administered questionnaire and the Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue for Perceived Social Stigma (EMIC-SS-12) was used to assess the level of perceived social stigma. It includes questions on demographic variables, behaviors, and experiences. The analysis was performed using SPSS. Results: The study included 618 participants, the majority of whom were women and girls (54.2%), with a mean age of 28 ± 12.7 years. The median score for perceived social stigma was 26.0. Only 2.1% (n = 13) of participants had the highest EMIC-SS-12 score of 36, while 7.6% (n = 47) scored zero. The mean score for overall perceived social stigma was 1.89 ± 0.91, while the mean score for experienced stigma was 1.99 ± 1.02. Univariate analysis showed that sex, employment, location of lesions, and number of lesions were insignificantly associated with stigmatization (P-value < 0.05), because these associations were uncertain because the CI includes or very close to 1. Conclusion: The study reveals insights into stigmatization associated with CL in the Habuna area of Saudi Arabia. It found that the median of perceived social stigma was 26. Factors such as sex, employment status, and location of the lesion are uncertainly associated with stigma. It is crucial to explore negative behaviors and perceptions and develop suitable health education programs.

The Effect of an Education Program on School Children Oral Health in Khartoum, Sudan.

Background: Oral health education programs have long been considered an essential part of oral health policies. This is important for reducing the risk of oral diseases through health enhancement and voluntary behavioral changes due to learning opportunities. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of school-based oral health education program on oral health in school children in Sudan. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted at four governmental schools in Khartoum, Sudan, between August 2018, and March 2022. A total of 423 school children were randomly allocated into the control (n = 211) and study (n = 212) groups. An adapted questionnaire was administered to students before and after the intervention to assess their knowledge and practice of oral health. The study group participated in oral health education activities. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 21. Results: The findings revealed that the mean knowledge at the pre-educational program was 9.3066 (SD = 3.91078) and the mean knowledge after the educational program was 21.2736 (SD = 2.13982). The scores indicated that the school children had significantly higher knowledge and practice scores after the oral health education program. Conclusion: The study concluded that education program on oral health improved students' oral health knowledge and practices. Imposing theoretical and practical lessons on oral and dental health in school curricula can motivate students to maintain oral health care, and this improves oral health status.

The Level of Knowledge Among Nurses Regarding Care of Patients with Hepatic Encephalopathy at Najran Hospitals, Saudi Arabia.

Background/Aim: Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a significant complication of acute and chronic liver disease. It is crucial for nurses to have knowledge of encephalopathy symptoms to enable prompt and effective responses when caring for such patients. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate nurses' HE knowledge in Najran hospitals in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted with nurses at the Najran Hospital in Najran City, Saudi Arabia. The sample size was determined using Epi-Calc 2000, resulting in a final sample of 125 nurses from intensive care units (ICU), cardiac surgical ICU and pediatric ICU, and they were selected by convenience sampling technique. Data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire, and 125 nurses participated in knowledge assessment. The data were coded and entered into SPSS version 21.0 for descriptive and inferential statistics. Information letters and consent forms were obtained from all the participants. Results: The majority of nurses (88.8%) were female, and 59.2% were married. The age range of participants was 20-30 years (50.4%). Approximately 36.8% had 4-6 years of work experience. The majority of the nurses (87.2%) held a bachelor's degree. More than half (56%) of the nurses demonstrated moderate HE knowledge, whereas over a quarter (28%) exhibited good knowledge. There was a highly statistically significant association between marital status, level of education, nationality, and level of nurses' knowledge regarding HE (P-value = 0.01, 0.02, and 0.02, respectively). Conclusion: The study concludes that nurses in Najran hospitals have an adequate knowledge levels, ranging from moderate to good. This highlights the importance of tailored educational programs to enhance nurses' understanding of HE symptoms and management. Furthermore, the marital status, education level, and nationality have significant association with nurses' knowledge.

Barriers to Conducting and Publishing Scientific Research Among Nursing Faculty Members in Saudi Arabia.

Objective: Publication in highly indexed journals is a complicated process that requires research skills, including writing, conceptualizing, and communication skills, to appropriately verbalize the findings. The current study assessed the barriers faced by nursing faculty at Saudi universities in conducting scientific research and publishing in highly indexed journals. Methods: This was a descriptive, cross-sectional study. Data were collected through convenience sampling by sending an online questionnaire to faculty members at Saudi universities. The questionnaire consisted of two parts: the first part for the demographic characteristics of staff and another part for the barriers associated with conducting scientific research and the publication process in highly indexed journals. The data was analyzed by SPSS using descriptive statistics as frequencies and percentages and inferential statistics using Chi Square test. Results: The study included 152 participants, mainly female (70.4%) aged 30-40 years (73.7%). Most were non-Saudi (90.1%), attended government universities (82.9%), and specialized in Medical & Surgical Nursing (29.6%). Only 3.9% received publishing training, whereas 55.9% had been published in indexed journals. Barriers included difficulties following guidelines, lack of research-writing knowledge, language challenges, and financial constraints. Gender, age, university, qualifications, and training courses influenced these barriers. Conclusion: The identified barriers included lack of training, language-related challenges, and work pressures. This study emphasizes the importance of providing support, resources, and training opportunities to overcome these barriers and enhance research productivity in the nursing field.

Prevalence of smoking cigarettes and beliefs regarding smoking habits among medical students: a cross-sectional study in Sudan.

Background: Smoking is a common problem in university students worldwide. Smoking is one of the most dangerous social phenomena and has a significant impact on public health. This study investigated the beliefs and attitudes of medical students toward smoking in Sudan. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among medical students at Al Neelain University, Sudan, from March to June 2022 using a web-based questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of eight items on demographic characteristics and 13 on the beliefs and attitudes toward smoking. Other data included smoking status, smoking habits, the number of cigarettes smoked per day, and smoking duration. Data analysis was performed descriptively, and chi-square test and logistic regression were conducted using SPSS version 24. Statistical significance was set at 0.05. Results: A total of 336 students participated in this study, and the smoking prevalence was 48.8% (41.1% in men and 7.7% in women). In total, 76.8% reported smoking daily at a rate of 5-10 cigarettes per day. In terms of students' beliefs about smoking, 86.8% disagreed with selling cigarettes at the university. Of the respondents, 68.4% did not approve smoking on campus. There was a relationship between smoking habits and the age group of 22-25 years, which was the highest smoking category among students (p-value = 0.01). Conclusion: The prevalence of cigarette smoking among medical students is disturbing, particularly as they are future doctors. There is a need to include plans to reduce smoking among students that can be incorporated into courses and special programs.

Academic Difficulties Among Medical Students at Jazan University: A Case-Control Study.

PURPOSE: Identification of potential causes of academic difficulties and unsatisfactory student performance is essential for any educational institution. This study has been undertaken to identify risk factors that are associated with academic difficulties among medical students by exploring lifestyle and social factors, health problems, study and exam habits and psychological status of students at the faculty of medicine in Jazan University, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This observational analytical case-control study was performed at the Faculty of Medicine at Jazan University to highlight the factors that influence the academic performance of medical students. We studied 40 students with academic difficulties (cases) and 40 controls based on their grade point average. Cases were matched to controls according to sex, age, and medical year. RESULTS: Several factors seem to negatively affect the students' academic performance; students with academic difficulties are older, require more time to reach the college, their perceived English proficiency is less than their counterparts, and they spend less time socializing. On the other hand, having a strong family support system, socializing with friends, access to the internet, and engagement in extracurricular activities seems to positively affect the students' performance. No difference was observed in study habits or sleep quality. The prevalence of anxiety, stress, and depression were all low for both cases and controls. CONCLUSION: We have identified many factors, most of which are related to the student's lifestyle and social habits, that positively and negatively affect academic performance.